Àbac

We were here in april 2024 and was really worth it. The food was on point, the services as well very good and the ambience was really cozy. The presentation was very beautiful, the decoration of the restaurant very relaxing and in a quite area. We had the whole menu along with the wine pairing. Also, they helped me organize the moment when I proposed my girlfriend and for me, was perfect. I will never forget this restaurant. Hands down.

A great and unique experience. The 18 course tasting menu took about 2.5 hours. The set is quite varied, the taste of the dishes are not similar to each other. Although at the beginning, there was too much black caviar, but then it became more varied. The food is very interesting, introducing many ingredients and various techniques. Particularly creative presentation, but the taste of some dishes seemed too ordinary, less than expected (especially desserts). And others, on the contrary, are super concentrated. It wasn't the best meal I ever had, but I had a great time here.

A surprising and adventurous tasting experience, definitely worthy of 3 Michelin stars. From the food to presentation and service, you can tell that every detail had been carefully thought through. The servers were particularly entertaining and very attentive to detail. The starters and the desserts were the highlights while some of the mains fell a little flat such as the eggs with bread which tasted like a quite simple breakfast item. The whole experience takes about 3-3.5 hours and is well worth the price if you enjoy trying interesting and creative textures/flavours!

One of the best Michelin star restaurants we’ve visited. The food of course is magnificent and a constant challenge for all of your senses, but the way the chef and his staff manage the whole experience is outstanding. Truly immersive (even in times where that could sound as a cliche). The honor to tapas at the first part of the experience is remarkable. Allow yourself to let go, this restaurant is a safe space, nobody judge you here. This place is a gem.

We thought long and hard about whether to leave a review of ABaC as we had such a disappointing and underwhelming experience, but decided that it was important to write a honest review after our dinner yesterday as a family of three. For context, we have visited a variety of restaurants from low to high-end and Michelin starred, so I think we are a fair judge of both service, food, and overall experience. Upon arriving, we were taken to the terrace for a few small tapas, and then to the main restaurant area for the dining. The dishes themselves were interesting but nothing groundbreaking like a few reviewers have mentioned previously. A standout was the helium balloon dessert which cut through the nervousness in the service. A big disappointment was the mains: two of us received the same main course (lamb tajin) we found it too salty to eat - in fact, several courses prior had been overly seasoned, including an eel brioche bun that came with brioche noodles. This may all sound a bit extreme and biased, but all of us were already trying to pass off the saltiness of the dishes until the main. The main was so salty that neither of us could finish it. When I raised the issue to our server she questioned that it was perhaps because the sauce was Demi-glace and that we were experiencing richness. She suggested that we move onto dessert, or if the chef might try to whip up something for the three of us. Luckily, the kitchen created a eggplant cannelloni with mixed vegetables which tasted far heartier and more like a proper main. It was commendable that the kitchen was able to whip up a dish so quickly, but all of us felt that the server’s comment to pass straight onwards to dessert felt like a bit of a rip-off on our side without addressing the inherent problems we had already experienced. The dinner was €295 including 10% tax, but we agreed it felt more like a €195 experience. There were too many dehydrated things which were neither crunchy nor juicy and which ultimately felt like no bite had a truly satisfying mouthfeel. The servers seemed nervous, whispering to each other while throwing furtive looks, threw our plates of food on the table with audible bangs, and we heard bottles of wine being sloshed into the ice buckets nearby as they hastily tried to continue service. We considered it may have been that they are relatively young and inexperienced, or perhaps the language barrier is another issue as our service was conducted in English for us. The tableware was awkwardly placed with their arms in front of our faces during a discussion, or placed right on top of our menus. Ice cream was served to us half-melted. For a non-Michelin starred fine-dining place these details might have been forgiven, but it was hard to feel at ease or truly welcomed with the service we experienced in this three-star establishment. Lastly, a big factor to the lacklustre client experience was the way they treated diners with specific requirements. My mother does not eat lamb, chicken, or livers, which was mentioned in our booking. However, the staff mixed up this with being vegetarian, without considering that based on our description (which we submitted with the verification help of our hotel staff during the booking online) she could’ve had dishes with beef or pork which completely ruined the experience for her. When we told the staff that my mother was not vegetarian, the staff questioned the statement we made in our booking and made our whole party feel gaslit and that we were like a big inconvenience. Overall, we felt a little cheated with what we hoped would be a divine sensual journey and superbly disappointed with the overall experience. We hope that the restaurant is able to reflect on our comments and wish them all the best heading forward.

Perfect service, very nice setting and the food was good. Dont get me wrong, there is not much to complain about but I feel that for a 3 star restaurant it was a slightly underwhelming experience and rarely did i have a wow feeling with most of the dishes. Spent a good time but would not come back.

Of course, expectations were high - 3 Michelin stars and 435 € per person for tasting menu with wine pairing. From the savory kitchen we had a number of extraordinary and extremely delicious dishes. A lot of true genius there. My tooth isn't that sweet, and for me there was a little too much from the sweet kitchen and maybe slightly less genius. However, fellow eaters with sweeter teeth did not mind at all. What spoiled the fun for me was the ridiculously small offerings of wine. There was hardly enough wine in the glasses to allow proper enjoyment of the grapes. No extras were ever offered. My advice to future guests would be to order wine by the bottle from the extensive list. One should not have to leave an otherwise wonderful meal entirely sober.

Got a tip from a friend to look into this just a week or two before I would travel. Luckily for me they still had a table available for my first night in Barcelona. After I called on the door bell I was welcomed and guided to the terrace where initial snacks got served. Once those delicious small treats had been consumed we headed indoors for the rest of the dinner. Om the table there was a bowl of salt with Àbac written on it. Later found out that part of the dinner was prepared through that. Lots of hands on prep and serving at the table which was very pleasant. And food was delicious. Full meny was pure seafood this time and they served their dishes very well. Only "negative" for me was that they open at 20.00 for dinner and that makes it a late evening before it finishes. It was well worth it tho. Would gladly come back again.

Wow!!! Wow!!!! This place blew me away. This place was my second 5 out of 5 rating since I've been to Spain. Everything was on point. I really enjoyed standing during the appetizer stage. That was a very different experience for me. Come hungry because you get a lot of food.

Wow! Where to start... one of the most memorable and special gastronomic experiences of my life. We were welcomed for a reservation and invited to join the staff in the kitchen for some super special appetizers and a killer bloody Mary. Once we finished a number of wonderful treats in the kitchen, we moved onto our table where our server walked through the tasting menu. The restaurant has a clean, modern vibe, very minimalistic which allows you to focus on the food and the choreographed service We decided to go all in and participated in wine pairing. It should be noted that we were invited to utilize any choice from their extensive wine menu rather than the wine tasting. Just for fun, we checked out the menu and it even included a number nice selections from USA Napa Valley. All of the food was delicately prepared and well thought out. Wine pairings were all Spanish wines, and not one style; we enjoyed wines from all over Spain, most notably from their Rioja region and north. Selections included a nice variety that included white, reds, cider, and Sherries. Each of the wines was well paired with the wonderful array of foods that we experienced. Many of the courses lean towards fish, which you would expect being so close to the Mediterranean. A wonderful squid dish, a flight of tomato based dishes, the absolute best hake may have ever had the pleasure to taste, just name a few. Wonderful lamb protein course towards the end of the meal, followed by several rounds of dessert, each whimsical and delicious at the same time. Honestly, everything was wonderful and the only thing I didn't care for was really an aside for fun a candle of coconut oil that melted bread dipping, fun but it wasn't my favorite taste Our meal, lasted more than 3 1/2 hours, and it just flew by! The service was impeccable, wines, varied, and fun, food, absolutely one of a kind. A must if you ever have the opportunity to be in the Barcelona Spain area to experience Chef Cruz absolute genius. Reservations are a must, in advance, to secure a spot at this restaurant.

Wonderful experience. You begin in the kitchen with a few amazing courses. The staff is sweet, attentive and friendly (so long as you are), otherwise they are quite professional and to the point which is still appreciated. Sommeliers are intelligent and enjoyable. We were so full by the end, my partner needed to help me with the last courses (we came for lunch, tasting menu was about 3hrs). I love how playful some of the last dishes were. You must experience this restaurant and their creativity! Having been to a few other Michelin restaurants, i felt the quality, quantity and pace of ABaC to be perfect. Being that we are spending all our money on quality food, we walked our butts to the restaurant from Las Ramblas area and I was glad to have a trek back to digest. There are also a few parks along the way to rest, reflect and digest. Book you reservation now!

The restaurant's decor and atmosphere is wonderful. The staff is attentive and treats you very well. For me the food just didn't do it for me. Some of the dishes were too salty and repetitive. The number of times foam presented in a serving is unnecessary. We got a wine paring option with our meal and it was lacking. In both pairings and service. There were times during the meal the service had moved on to the next coarse and the next wine wasn't poured. I think we actually got the wrong pairing one time. Service wise this place was excellent. Taste wise...I found it lacking.

I really wanted to like this restaurant but for this price point there are a lot better meals to be had. There are some really nice aspects to the meal, and they open really strong. Unfortunately the menu falls off really hard at the proteins and dessert. They also straight up forgot to tell two tables (ours and a neighbor) that one of the dishes was edible (the one with the candle). Highlight of the meal is the first dish, the Bloody Mary, as well as the deconstructed salads. Decent storytelling, particularly the balloon effect at the end but all of the flare doesn't make up for a so-so culinary experience.

The ambiance was rather sterile. There is hardly any color in the restaurant, which was surprising because the entrance and outside space is so gorgeous. Service was hit and miss that night. The food overall was okay, some beautiful presentations but not memorable. At one point in the night, several drunk patrons wobbled their way from the back through the long dining room and one man threw up repeatedly on the floor (!!!), leaving everyone shocked and disgusted. One couple immediately left mid meal. I thought maybe the staff would present a courtesy wine pour (as an apology for the gross behavior) but nothing. In fact there was hardly an apology for the ruined experience. This is suppose to be a 3-star Michelin restaurant?? Understand your patrons. I chose to come here because I was unable to secure a reservation at Disfrutar. Sadly I wish I had chosen one of the other 2 or 3 star Michelin restaurants in Barcelona.

What an incredible dining experience! Each dish was filled with delicious and bold flavors, beautiful presentation, and creativity. & the staff were professional and very service-oriented. I highly recommend ABaC when visiting Barcelona. I only have two critiques, and they're both pretty minor. First, the music didn't fit the overall vibe of the dining experience. While trying some of the best food I've ever tasted, I was listening to some random cover of Hot Line Bling. I think classical or jazz would be a better fit. It was also a tiny bit too loud. Second, the kitchen tour was a bit too cramped. I appreciate getting to see the kitchen and meeting the chefs, but I also felt I was in the way during the kitchen tour. Overall, ABaC deserves the 3 Michelin stars it has. The chefs at ABaC do not shy away from bold flavors and creative plating. The service is also amazing, as the staff will truly do whatever you need to feel comfortable and happy in the restaurant. Highly recommend: 5/5!

My dinner at ABaC was over 4 years ago, but it still remains one of my most memorable dinners to date. My wife and I went on our first international trip together to Spain, so we splurged for the occasion. I don't remember the exact pricing, but it was actually relatively reasonable for a 3 Michelin star restaurant, as compared to other Michelin restaurants in the US and Europe. I know the reviews for ABaC are a bit bipolar. Maybe some people just prefer more traditional fine dining, with less experimental technique (ie. molecular gastronomy) or prefer a more traditional presentation. However I was thoroughly impressed with all aspects of dining at ABaC. The atmosphere, service, food taste and presentation were all top-notch. I've never seen such synchronization, with the waiters bringing out the plates in tandem, it was almost like a well choreographed dance. Sure, some of the presentation and plating was pretty modern and theatrical. But I actually enjoyed that and it's what I was paying for. It was a 16 course meal (not a typo) and every single dish was good. I remember particularly enjoy their desserts. If I ever find myself in Barcelona, I would love to revisit ABaC.

One of the best restaurant experiences we've ever had! We were lucky to snag a reservation the day after Christmas and so glad that we did. We started our dining experience in the kitchen with some small bites and the best Bloody Mary cocktail I've ever had. Then we heading to the dining room for the rest of the meal. I could go on and on about the food, but they are constantly changing their menu based off of the ingredients in season. I'll focus on the superb service and their attention to detail. They have a lengthy wine menu and received a really nice recommendation from the sommelier. There are a few cocktails built into the tasting menu which I really appreciated. The service was impeccable! They asked that we let them know ahead of time if we need a dining break so that they can let the kitchen know as most of their dishes are delicate. Overall, we will definitely be back when we come back to Barcelona again!

Quite an experience I must say! Unassuming entrance & minimal decor left a lot to the imagination, however the dishes were filled with care & creativity. The methodical preparation & theatrics of each dish kept us engaged & delighted throughout dinner. It was extensive & dinner lasted over 3 hours! I feel a lighter more consolidated version should be made available because we were overwhelmed half way through. Multiple desert dishes were an overkill at the end. I do agree with Michelin 3 star rating.

Prior to coming here, I read several reviews and was debating on whether or not to keep our reservation. (I read them on Yelp as well as trip advisor.) I'm so glad we kept the reservation because all the poor reviews were completely wrong. Not only was the food amazing, the experience was truly worth it. The ambiance and the service is exactly what you would expect at a restaurant like this. We were told to come here by a few friends who had been here a few years ago... and it's safe to say, they haven't lost their touch. Each food item had meaning and we loved the story line behind them. Our waiters were so lovely and explained everything. We feel we had the full experience pairing wine with our meal so definitely recommend doing such. The only part I didn't like about the experience was the hot temperature of the restaurant, but they started to lower it once they saw how hot everyone was. Overall we are so happy to have experienced this meal and can't wait to come back when we are in the area. Love!!

Is it possible to get too carried away? Maybe. Sometimes the presentation distracts from the amazing food and service. The giant red shrimp encased in salt? Clever. The apple bubbles formed with dry ice? Flavorful, but actually reminded me of TV show mocking high end restaurants: "This bag of lavender-scented air is the first course." Maybe they're making up for the worldwide shutdown. Aside from that strange starter, an incredible meal, excellent service, with a new favorite of oyster marinated in kombucho with hazelnut butter and caviar (photo). I can't wait to return. 2021 09 28. M3.

After visiting Guy Savoy (3 Michelin star) and Le Clarence (2 Michelin star) in Paris only few days prior, we had high expectations of ABAC (3 Michelin star), however we were disappointed, by comparison. We give the restaurant high marks for creativity, presentation and service: balloons, bubble, table side fire and ice, choreographed service, and many servers kept us informed on the ingredients in the multiple courses. Unfortunately, some of the dishes themselves were chipped, the meal was unrefined, unimpressive tasting, repetitive, not very balanced with virtually no meat, lots of fishy tasting fish and generally hard to finish dishes. We would not go back.

Wow, what an exceptional experience! From the food, to the attentive service to the ability to be in the kitchen, we had a fabulous time. You start with 3 appetizers on the terrace, which were all phenomenal. Then we were escorted to the kitchen where we tried 3 more appetizers while the chefs were busy working around us. A fun surprise was being invited into the main work station for a photo with all of the chefs. We were then escorted to the main dining room for dinner. There were 2 menu options - classic or gastronomic, but in wanting to try the classic dishes that they're known for, we went with the classic menu. The food was amazing, very carefully thought out and presented beautifully down to the plate or bowl the foods were brought in. I loved the mix of flavors and textures; what a unique way to enjoy a meal. The service was also excellent, we were attended to without being pushed and every detail was orchestrated fluidly. One of the best meals we've ever had! Highly recommend if you're in Barcelona.

With such polarizing reviews of abac, I must say that I am a fan. From being seating outside with a few bites, to being brought into the kitchen and into the main dining room, abac gives a fun and thrilling experience. Every dish on the tasting menu was on point. Our experience at abac was memorable and stood too to toe with our other excellent meals in barcellona such as tickets and disfrutar. Jordi cruz really serves up beautiful and delicious dishes. Truley a must not miss expereince.

(Chanel) honestly did not know what I was in for when we went to @abachotelrestaurant for this fine dining experience. The Michelin restaurant with featured chef @jordicruzoficial did not disappoint. I mean I knew with the 225€ price tag, we were in for a treat. * We all challenged ourselves to try new things and truly embrace this opportunity. I am forever grateful that when they noticed I didn't like something, they tailored my foods to things I would enjoy and I thoroughly enjoyed the eel dishes they prepared for me! * Some highlights were: 1. The Bloody Mary on the rocks - not typically a fan, but this was a take on a Bloody Mary that should be offered everywhere! 2. Whipped hazelnut butter + caviar - the mixture of these two on the bread crisps was on another level.. 3. Salt-cured red shrimp - what a pleasant surprise that was chillin on the table the entire time and we had no idea! 4. Soup - so interesting, yet so tasty! 5. All the desserts - because you know, I love sweets and there were 3 servings of desserts, what a way to end a meal! Service was spectacular and the whole meal we kept saying... "what would happen if someone dropped something?" "How many times did they practice this?" "Are these folx training to be Michelin star rated chefs themselves?" Questions that deserve answers!

This is my second time at ABaC. After a fantastic experience my first go around in 2019, this second time was certainly not the charm. Despite phenomenal service, after 21 different items in their tasting experience, ABaC failed to amaze in 21 out of 21, and on the 21st there was hair in our dessert. Four and one half hours utter of disappointment, a wasted afternoon, and an empty bank account. Very disappointed. At best, the food: Palatable Service: Fantastic.

This is a different type of restaurants from others that we've been before. They served your foods in 3 different locations("terrace", kitchen and main dining room). They also have different dining rooms: one for just party of 2s and the other for bigger party. The foods and the experience were very interesting and unique, however we didn't find the taste to be that good. We were still glad that we went here though, but it's not something we would go back for. Unlike Lasarte from the previous night, the foods here were just okay, some are too salty or under-seasoned. Come here for the experience, not the foods.

I was initially nervous to commit to dining at ABaC because of the recent inconsistent and mixed reviews... but I decided to take the leap of faith and sure glad I did. I thought overall ABaC was a unique experience and worthy of its freshly minted three Michelin stars. I personally enjoy dancing with the Michelin stars (ha!) and made the splurge and dined at 2 other 3 michelin star restaurants in the past year. I personally thought ABaC was my favorite! I think what made the experience a LOT more enjoyable was our adorable server, Huc (Hugo). I may have butchered his nickname but you'll recognize him if he's super enthusiastic, friendly and full of charisma! he really knows a lot about food too. I think if it weren't for him, dinner would have been good, but he made the dining experience way better. You start out with two appetizers in the kitchen which I thought was unique. I overall loved all the dishes I had and it was the right amount of food. I didn't feel super bloated afterwards and wow, the food was amazing. There are two menu options, either the traditional or grand. Meal was pricy but definitely a lot more reasonable compared to San Francisco. We opted for the traditional since it seemed more appealing. A couple things to keep in mind... for dinner, they open at 20:00 or 20:30 so by the time you finish the metro may be closed. We were stranded for a bit waiting for the night bus. The location is also a bit on the outskirts of city center. I also was a bit peeved when we got the bill and they charged us 4 euros for a darn nespresso. What a great start to 2018!

Went to ABAC on the recommendation of our concierge at our hotel while visiting Barcelona. We were celebrating a wedding anniversary and were very excited. Boy were we in for a surprise. While the service was everything you would expect from a 3 star Michelin, the food was anything but. For the next 4 HOURS we were Subjected to the most uncomfortable and unsavory culinary experience we have ever had. Every course was weirder and less enjoyable than the last. From the black goo we were served which smelled and tasted like a plate of death, to the inside out fermented tomato dish that felt like left over pizza paste. From The Luke warm soup like substances we were served to the plate of poached egg simmering in a broth of what looked like formaldehyde, we were left wondering if this was some sort of a prank. Luckily the bread we were served was soft and we were lucky to enjoy it as we waited for anything resembling an edible dish. The prawns which were served towards the end of our experience were promising, however for some reason ABAC believes that half cooked prawns are better than the fully cooked through variety, and we were once again left shaking our heads. The desserts, were the saving grace as those helped fill the void of nutrients in our stomachs after an ordeal lasting from 9pm-12:45 am, however our evening in Barcelona felt like a let down. Not wanting to be rude, we paid out bill and left without a fuss. I contacted the restaurant to let them know of our general displeasure, and we're met with the obligatory "we are sorry, come back again". Having eaten at 3 star Jean-Georges in NYC just two weeks prior, and raving about our experience, we are officially weary of the star system. Would not recommend this restaurant.

The expectation for ABaC was high given it had 3 Michelin stars. The place is very nice. Modern hotel with elegant decor. The staff was attentive and did a good job overall. However, when it came time to the food it did not impress. While one or two dishes were decent the majority of them were not up to par. They mostly tried to distract you with creative plates and presentations but the flavors always seemed to be off. It certainly was not worth the high price tag. I'm not sure how Michelin rated it so high but would not expect it to remain for long serving the same menu. I would skip this place when visiting Barcelona.

My wife and I ate at 5 Michelin starred restaurants in under two weeks across Spain, with three of them 3 starred and to me ABaC was the best of them all. The execution was flawless and the menu was the perfect combination of progressive and flavorful. If you're thinking of going to a Michelin starred restaurant while in Barcelona and Spain and are only going to pick one, this should be it.

The food was very good, but the service was a bit lacking and definitely very stiff! Came here for dinner one night due to the 2 Michelin star rating and several friends recommendation. We were seated right away and given menus to review. There were 2 set dinners that we could choose from, BUT we were NOT allowed to each choose our own set. Basically, the restaurant was not flexible at all. I asked the server to talk to the chef and was once again told that was not ok. So, we ended up all ordering the same set menu but substituting several items that we didn't like or were allergic to. The food was beautifully presented and very creative. We were impressed with a few of the courses. This place is extremely expensive, and we did fork out some major greens. There were many seafood dishes and we are huge fans of that, so it was right up our alley. The surrounding garden was very nice and we got some photos. Bathrooms are beautiful, well designed with a modern contemporary look, and of course spotless. The restaurant was not to far from the metro station so it was very easy to get to.

Having been to other three Michelin star restaurants my expectations were high, and unfortunately this place did not measure up. Nothing on the tasting menu was memorable during our five hour dinner. The service was okay but not worthy of three stars.

I was apprehensive about trying ABaC of the mixed reviews... but this was the HIGHLIGHT of our Spain trip. I have only been to one other Michelin star restaurant, so I don't have much to compare it to in that way, but we were blown away. My brother, who has been to every Michelin star in San Francisco, was also blown away. Came with a party of 7. We did the traditional menu. The experience started in the kitchen, with Champaign and our first 5 or so courses. Then we were taken to the dining room and treated like queens and kings. The presentation 10/10, the food 10/10, and the service 12/10!!! Absolutely worth every penny. I was nervous that I wouldn't love every dish, but I was wrong. Please visit. I can't speak for the other Michelin stars in Spain, but if you're deciding on a place, do not overlook this one. Also, we had a gluten allergy in our party, and the waiters and the kitchen were SO accommodating. They subbed a few of her dishes for other items but nothing that was "less than" what we were eating.

Astounding restaurant in all regards. I enjoyed the contemporary food, which had amazing substance in flavors, while forward thinking in its presentations and recipes. The meal consisted of a large tasting menu (around 20 courses), which straddles the line of highly inventive to molecular gastronomy. In a nutshell, the entire meal was enjoyable and it is quite surprising how well they excelled at all aspects. The service was impeccable, and the staff was surprisingly young, considering how refined they were. The atmosphere was exceptional, with a nice distance between tables and a beautiful grounds surrounding the restaurant (the hotel/spa). Absolutely impeccable experience!

Toqued by Chef Jordi Cruz since 2010, the 39 year old now holding two-Michelin Stars for the past five guides, ABaC Restaurant was booked as the final meal in Barcelona largely as a result of afternoon reservations available on Sunday, a 13h30 arrival at wooden gates where guests are buzzed in unfortunately followed by an excruciatingly long lunch featuring disinterested service and gaps as long thirty minutes separating one course from next. Part of a Historical Building, the former home of photographer and film-maker Doña Madronita Andreu since renovated and converted into a boutique Hotel, ABaC Restaurant resides on the lower floor of a space containing rooms starting at roughly €225 and with a location far outside city-center those looking for a something a little more quiet and luxurious than average lodging are invited to partake in both Spa Therapies and several other amenities in addition to their meal. Described as Modern Spanish Cuisine, Chef Cruz's talents highly acclaimed since he was a teenager and the first of several Michelin Stars earned at the age of 24, guests arriving at ABaC from off-premises will immediately find themselves seated on a lush patio on arrival, the decision to forgo an Aperitif nonetheless followed by a lengthy wait before being led to a brief visit to the kitchen's exterior, the meal starting off oddly as "Bloody Mary's Macarons" listed on the menu were never presented, lunch instead beginning with a frozen Margherita Meringue served atop a Cactus and followed by foam-covered Salmon Tartare. At this point finally led to a seat, the menu choice confirmed in a room with Grey drapes, thick linens and table ornaments reminiscent of those at Martin Berasategui's 3* Lasarte, it was here that the concept of a Bloody Mary was apparently to be repeated in the form of a Eggplant-shaped Ice Sculpture intended to be cracked and eaten as a palate refresher, the idea better than its execution as the flavor was fairly bland while the follow-up of tender Barnacles in Citrus Broth was slightly briny but otherwise tilted towards acid. Never having staged at ElBulli or other modernist temples like so many of Spain's great young Chefs, Cruz's talents instead learned in culinary school and honed across several Restaurants prior to settling at ABac, it was with a highly modernist duo of Melon Meringue with Ham Ice and Melon Soup with Porky Spheres that that the meal lurched forward after the first of several lengty waits, the space picked up slightly for chunks of tender Lobster served in a broth made from boiled Carapace, Roe and Seaweed. Taking a big step away from subtle flavors with the next plate, traditional Salmorejo served with additional Tomato flavor thanks to three Sun-Dried Fruits resting in the creamy Potage beneath lightly sweet Froth, it was here that another twenty-minute gap would be bridged with two styles of housemade Bread and a tiny silver decanter of Olive Oil, both loaves quite good as was the Rockfish to follow, though much as with the Barnacles the flavor of Lemon mostly overwhelmed the Bone Broth. Finally embracing the expected Catalan flavors with plate nine, a vertebrae topped in stewed Tuna with Spinal Jelly and Sherry served alongside a Donut packed with more Marrow and roasted Fish, it was in continuation of this concept that tender Rice arrived with Tuna Belly, Cheese Foam and Tomato Stew, a truly comforting dish that kicked off three meaty courses including smoky Duck Rillettes intended to be eaten like Tacos with a Salad made from fried Tongues and rich Bean Stew enriched by Pistachios and Sausage in two textures. At this point bringing forth a tableside steamer, the waitress informing patrons that this would be used 'later' it was as the device bubbled away that meal's final savory was presented, a thick cut of Pigeon served in mineral-rich sauce atop a Mousse of its insides funky and rich with just a bit of Garlic soon to be washed away by a the flavors of Strawberries and Flowers served as a light Cream wrapped in Sugary glass. Apparently making a Souffle at the table, a small cake slowly rising and soon to be revealed as Chocolate infused with the flavors of "Wood and Vanilla," it was alongside a much-needed Double Espresso that the moist Cake was enjoyed despite a dirty hint of Sunchoke, the "Apple Tartin-inspired Tartlet" an interesting blend of rounded Fruit Pieces and Dippin' Dot-style Ice Cream while the Sweet Pumpkin suggested on the menu was again never seen, the meal concluding at nearly 16h45 with several Mignardises including a smooth Raspberry Cheesecake and a Popsicle made to resemble a tube of Lipstick.

My wife and I stayed at this hotel because they had a Michelin restaurant located on premises. Great evening

Had such high hopes especially with the price point of $225 Euro for tasting menus. But was very disapointed with the food. While service and presentation are good, the taste is just not there to back up the 3 star rating. Clam was very fishy and wakame salad was tasteless. The tbone steak has no meat taste and it was overpower by the curry taste. The red shrimp head was smelly and probably better better eaten cooked than raw. All of the dessert dishes were not up to par with a lack of refine taste. A typicaly tapas bar is way better than this place.

The service was 4 stars, the presentation was 5 stars, the food was 2.5 stars. The low rating of the food was of no fault to the restaurant but simply a case of not our cup of tea. We highly anticipated this 3 Michelin stars award-winning restaurant by Jordi Cruz during our vacation in Barcelona. We very promptly seated upon our arrival and glad to finally have shelter from heavy downpour of rain. We tried the 18-courses menu and standing ovation for its fine presentation of every course. I feel personally I tried to appreciate and enjoy food but found myself disappointed that most of the courses was very "fishy" tasting or perhaps that is what Spanish food is all about? I get the seafood part but is spoiled and accustomed to North America seafood fresh equals none to minimal fishy taste. What I did appreciate was seeing the amount of creativity being put into each course. My favourite would be the ice cream and the live presentation our service did with liquid nitrogen ice cream, what a show itself!

Very fun and creative food. The meal started off a bit slow at the terrace section of the meal. No one even took our coats which was a bit surprising. The first few bites were mediocre, but they more than made up for it in the kitchen portion of the meal. The rest was pretty standard fine dining and very enjoyable.

Liked it, but didn't LOVE IT. 21 courses. It was just a tad bit under expectations. Service was impeccable but a tad bit slow. No real atmosphere to enjoy. Location and garden/patio nice. My complaint is at the time of reservation we requested no fish/ seafood but got several dishes with both. Could have been life threatening had it been due to food allergies. A place of such high quality/standards and Michelin rating should have been sensitive to our request and adhere to the request regardless of the reason. Overall The food and experience was very good but we have been to Michelin restaurants with less stars that impressed us more than ABaC.

This may be obvious, but don't get the vegan tasting menu. It should have been obvious to me. After all, in the giant menu on their website, almost nothing is even vegetarian. Essentially, I came to realize that they were doing me a favor by accommodating me, which is fine on a business trip with a group of omnivores, but not for a special night out where you want to be wowed. Btw, in contrast, El Invernadero in Madrid was one of the best meals I ever had.

I have to say me and my husband are very very disappointed about this experience... The service was very official, not even close to friendly & warm. There were a few times we asked questions about a particular ingredient or inspirations behind the dish, but the waiter would only repeat the vocab stated on the menu whitout even trying to explain, and there was a single time he just left us with a few Spanish words as a response (at least sounded like Spanish) and walked away to help another table.. The food was really just okay, some dishes were extremely salty!!! (Knowing that Spanish food are normally more salty but really it was wayyy too much, I could only take one bite and left the rest to waste) One dish called "Chinese box" was made of eel, wasabi and bread....we kept wondering why they decide to call it Chinese? None of the presentation (except the box), the taste, of the ingredient reminds me of any Chinese...(we are Chinese background). Well, as we brought up the question the waiter was like "it's just how it is" Generally speaking this was a bad dinning experience

The location of ABaC is reminiscent of an oasis - it's tucked away behind tall hedges towards the hills in Barça off a busy street. After planning out of trip to Spain, this was the first restaurant we went to. As far as our experience here goes, the presentation and the tastes were all really good, and I really enjoyed some of the dishes we had like the Amuse and the table side presentation of the fried smores and liquid nitrogen ice cream. That said, unlike some of the other three star restaurants we've been to, I found the experience here very "traditional" and missing a little bit of that creative flair that I know other standout restaurants have. Service was good, with an English explanation of our dishes throughout dinner. Definitely a beautiful restaurant space with good food, but hard to put this into the same category as some of the other three star restaurants we've been to.

With three Michelin stars, the bar is high, but ABaC delivers. It's also relatively easy to get reservations here compared to other hot fine dining destinations in Barcelona. What makes this worth of three stars? I'll tell you: - Impeccable service - everyone was so, so nice. I'm always impressed by how multilingual the waiters are at these restaurants - Attention to detail - every detail had been thought out, from the embossed purse holder to the surprise shrimp (don't want to ruin it for you!) - Great, inventive food - so many surprises! A couple things to note: the food here is very seafood-focused, so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who doesn't love strong seafood flavors. It's also very much on the salty side, which ruined a few otherwise great dishes for me.

Beautiful restaurant, great service, food was beautifully presented. The food ? There was not one dish out of 12 that I liked or I think anyone would ever want to have again. Took a super...... long time 3.5 hours. So in summary if you like to eat beautiful food that doesn't taste great in a beautiful restaurant with great service and you have nothing to do, come here. Otherwise Stay away.

My family and I were there Easter weekend (Monday 4/2) and I've only now had the time to sit down to our feedback regarding our experience from ABaC. As a 3 Michelin starred restaurant, we expected the food and service to be at a certain caliber. We've dined at enough Michelin starred restaurants to understand what to expect: Some items we may love, some will be more experimental due to the techniques the chef is using, but overall we should have a great experience and be immersed in the scene. Unfortunately, our experience at your restaurant was not like this. The 4 of us were not happy or impressed with most of the dishes to he honest. The few courses we enjoyed were the initial amuse bouches and the table side ice cream. But overall, there was a lack of flavor or depth in many of the dishes and at the end of the meal, none of us felt satisfied. For an $1000+ meal, I had hoped that we would have had a memorable experience and at least feel satiated, but I ended up apologizing to my parents for having them go through a disappointing meal. (Because, I'm sorry, one of the desserts even tasted like cough syrup.) There were a few things I was surprised about with the meal service as well because for a 3 starred restaurant, we expected excellence. A somewhat small but noticeable issue was that the butter was so cold and hard that we could not use or spread it onto the bread for most of the meal. At most Michelin restaurants, butter ends up being a subtle and thoughtful addition, but the fact that we couldn't even dig into the butter was a reflection of the restaurant's lack of attention to detail that evening. We also had to request refills of both our water and our wine from servers more consistently than I would have thought needed, and there was no follow up from the Sommelier towards the end of the meal. The sediment from the wine bottle was ultimately poured into our glasses making it very difficult to enjoy the last portion of our wine. I do want to note that individually, the staff members were friendly, but there were elements missing and there was a lack of attentiveness that usually accompanies a meal of this level. The portion sizes and flavors of the dishes themselves were mediocre and fell way below our expectations. I emailed this to the restaurant with no response. Poor customer service too. Sad.

Wow! What a great culinary experience. We chose the traditional menu and enjoyed all the dishes. You can tell much thought was given into how the textures and flavors interacted with each other. However the reason why I didn't give 5 stars was because of the service. One of our dishes had an ant on it, and during another course, a knife had a very large red food spot from previous customers. It's not a huge deal for us- we've both worked in the restaurant industry and know these things can happen even to the most meticulous. We did point it out and the manager apologized and promised a discount. But when we got the check, it was full price. Not wanting to bother anyone, we got ready to leave in the lobby. The manager walked by a few times and seemed to actively ignore us when we tried to make eye contact. Again, not the biggest deal but was disappointing for a Michelin star restaurant. For gastronomy nerds and foodies, this place is a great destination. I would recommend to anyone interested!

Excellent meal, but a few misses on service leading to the 4 star rating. This was our third Michelin star dinner in as many weeks in Spain (others were to Lasarte also here in Barcelona and to Terazza del Casino in Madrid), and unfortunately it did not cut the mustard of the other 2. Food: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Decor: 10/10 To caveat this, general service was near flawless. It is just that in these situations, it is supposed to be 100% flawless. Service misses were: 1- not giving us napkins initially (we had to request them) 2- simply taking too long between courses (with an 18 course tasting menu, I understand this was likely by design and could be a matter of preference, but for me personally, taking 4 hours for a meal (as this one did) is simply too long) 3- Taxi called at end of meal, sat us to wait in lounge area, after a few minutes we left (deciding hailing one would be faster) and discovered 2 taxis waiting outside front gate...not very good coordination there. Decor was delightful and food was delicious though! All else was superb and well worth the 2 Michelin star distinction.

The experience was horrible. We found glass in one of the dishes. They didn't even apologize. They just took the plate away. They messed up allergies - including a shellfish allergy. We had to remind them 5 times that we were allergic!

Came here for my wife's birthday dinner and I have to say that I am disappointed in the outrageous prices that's being charged for what is served. The food overall was not that great. It started out great with a tour of the kitchen and being served 3 items while in there. We then got seated and decided to go with their regular menu which I believe cost 155 euros. If you want the wine pairing, it's an additional 85 euros I think. Expect to spend over 2 hours when eating here. You are served 15 items and that includes the 3 that you have already consumed while in the kitchen. I don't think the taste of the food merits that price. I would have been ok paying 100 euros. I was not even full because the servings are small and they take a lot of time in between before the next one item comes out. The wine pairing actually was pretty good though. Our server could have been better at being personable. He did not smile or try to engage us. He just explained the dish and then would leave until the next one came out. I also had a hard time understanding his English when he was talking about the dishes. The sommelier and other server on the other hand did engage with us and would smile every time they came around. I don't know if our server is new or just having an off night, but he did not have any personality and if he had half the personality of the sommelier, our meal would have been more enjoyable.

I cannot properly articulate my disappointment on my recent visit to ABaC. I was very much looking forward to my first 3 Michelin star restaurant having been to several 1 stars and 2 star restaurants in the past in different countries I felt like I knew what to expect, and this being a 3 star establishment it would throw out all my past experiences and I'd have a new appreciation for food. I definitely had a new appreciation for all the OTHER meals I had at the lower star restaurants, and how their food was bursting with flavor. Upon arriving to ABaC we were seated in the patio as our table was being prepared. Then we were led into the kitchen and given a tour of the area as well as being served our first 3 appetizer courses. They were all mediocre, the fish smell of the kitchen overpowering our nasal passages and we were unsure of what we had gotten ourselves into. Once seated at our table, we were served a complimentary glass of cava and perused the menu. Deciding it had potential we became optimistic for the courses to come. We chose to do the "Our Tradition" menu which includes all the most popular/favorite dishes by Chef Jodi Cruz. I can honestly say out of the 18 courses we consumed only 1-3 were actually impressive. My favorite dishes were the flat bread with hazelnut butter and caviar (the caviar/butter balanced out very well with the crispness of the bread); the Chinese box which was a brioche bun with eel meat and the chocolate cake dessert which was good (but I've had better chocolate cake elsewhere). All of the fish dishes (except the clams) seemed like they absorbed the fishy smell from the kitchen and that was all I could taste. A lot of the dishes were overly salted, not sure if they were trying to cater to Umami or just think salt is the only spice that adds to a dish. However, the presentation of the plates was beautiful. Definitely what I would expect from this caliber restaurant, and the service was good too. But comparing the price of the meal to the flavor and rating of the restaurant it was a very big disappointment.

I loved my dining experience at ABac. Yes, it was a tasting menu so the plates were beautiful and small bites. Some dishes I wished I had more to eat. It was magically in terms of innovative tastes and I cannot get over how awesome that the chef came out to greet everyone at the end of the meal. Two thumbs way up! If you are in Barcelona, definitely worth the visit!

I was looking forward to being blown away by this 3 star Michelin restaurant. The evening started out great, with us ordering the Avant Garde tasting menu with wine pairing. Service was excellent - shout out to Aitor, our server who was very attentive and knowledgeable about explaining every dish that was served. The presentation was great but the food wasn't as good as I'd hoped from such an expensive restaurant. It was a great experience overall.

Incredible & one-of-a-kind experience! Chef Jordi Cruz and his 3-Star Michelin team swept us off our feet. We enjoyed the presentation, food was exceptional and so unique. We had a 4-hour dining experience over lunch, and had made a reservation over a month in advance. So glad we could do it. This experience made the trip to Barcelona! Thank you

Three star Michelin, a perfect meal in a perfect setting, it does not get better than that . Upscale setting, where you eat a few hors d'oeuvres in the kitchen before your meal.

This is not a 3 star restaurant​. *check-in had us sitting there doing nothing for 10+ min *the cactus dish was tasty but the presentation was overly gimmicky​ *there was nothing really that memorable about the food; honestly the most interesting​ thing was trying to figure out​ what they were doing; is this Asian​, Catalan​, ​Basque​e, or some random thing? The eel dish on a bun bordered​ on gross; the sauce was so strong and there was so much of it that it made the bread soggy. The pillow dish was really, I am not sure of the word, it looked like they were putting a dirty pillow down in front of us. The lamb was covered in a goo and tough. *there are no flowers, nothing living, and no real decor - there is some​ odd sculpture​ of a vine on the table, which reappears in the closing set of dishes - it is pure ugly. *the entire evening lacked elegance - it was clear they were trying to be gimmicky​ without any real​ cohesion. *I have written this before, while EMP might be in a class mostly alone, it is unreasonable​ for this place to be 3 stars. Michelin must be really reaching. Skip it and go to one of the many other fine places in BCN.

Highly underwhelming. I would not return and not recommend. We were looking forward to this meal so much. As a qualifier - we have eaten at a few other top Michelin restaurants and tasting menus. We live in NYC. This was supposed to be the highlight meal of our honeymoon. As first timers, we were recommended the Abac tasting. This is the smaller of the two menus, but covers the highlight dishes over the past 9 years. It is 190 euros + a service charge. Drinks or wine pairings extra. For a 3 star, this is a fantastic price point globally, but note that Barcelona is an inexpensive food city. The experience itself was unique in that we experienced a few different settings - the patio, kitchen, dining room, and back to the patio. However, it never really made sense why we were moving or how the items we had connected to the space. We felt rushed in the kitchen in what felt like a factory of us waiting for others to leave, then serving, then being ushered out for others to come in. Overall, the food was quite good, but we both felt there weren't many memorable dishes - surprising for the menu which was supposedly the highlights of 9 years. The only exception was The Bloody Mary which was incredible - truly a memorable dish worthy of high praise, but the rest were very "meh". Unfortunately, we felt that the menu didn't really tell a story or connect dish to dish. It didn't build to new highs or new experiences. There was no sense of wonder, excitement, or novelty. And the taste, while good, was not "best I ever ate". Of the 5 "main course" items, there were 2 tuna then 2 crab dishes each back to back. There was a Bloody Mary and a Gazpacho - It just felt repetitive and boring and not prepared differently enough to make an interesting contrast. There were also 4 different courses of desserts that felt like they were the same style executed slightly differently (2 yogurts, and 2 chocolates), and not particularly memorable. So it's not that the food was bad - it just felt lazy. The service was fine, but nothing stellar. For instance, when we were outside and it started raining, the staff couldn't seem to figure out where to put us despite numerous open tables. While friendly and coordinated, it was not 11 Madison Park perfection or the warmth of Le Bernardin. Overall, If you had told me it was a 1 star, maybe 2, I'd agree. While 190++ is a good value for a 3 star, the meal wasn't a 3 star, and it is significantly more expensive than anything else in Barcelona which is a really inexpensive food city. I would have expected the quantity, quality, and dishes to come in closer to 120 in Barcelona. It is just a meal to be skipped.

Great food, polite and quick, would highly recommend to a casual or seasoned pro. Prices are very reasonable for a Michelin Star restaurant. No reason why this couldn't be a three star. We ate at the Enoteca two nights previous. And it was also a 2 star. Difference is night and day. Abac should be on your list. This restaurant/hotel sits in a secluded environment. Walled and gated. Couldn't even tell you were in Spain once inside. Beautiful to say the least. Even after our dinner. My wife wanted the executive chef to sign our dinner menu, we got one better and was taken to the kitchen again for a picture with him. Made her night. And happy wife means happy life.