BENZiNA

Had the best time here! First and foremost, our server Hector was not only funny but so open, helpful, kind, and beyond welcoming. He shared some of his story with us, answered questions we had, and was helpful in selecting what to eat. (I’ve attached various photos of the great food! Not pictured: the eggplant appetizer which, I admit, is one of the more odd things I’ve had, but wonderfully so! I suggest it a million times over, it was an eggplant confit with a Parmesan ice cream! We also had the calamari which was the right amount of salty and crunchy! Tens across the board!) Entrees didn’t disappoint and dessert was a perfect end to a perfect dinner service. As I find is fairly typical with EU restaurants, they were more than cautious about my nut allergy—very attentive and thorough.

One of the best Italian spots in Barcelona! Benzina is a cozy, beautifully designed restaurant that instantly makes you feel at home. The food is exceptional, classic Italian dishes with creative twists, made with top quality ingredients. Every plate is a hit, but the Carbonara is my absolute favorite! What truly sets this place apart is the amazing staff. Chiara is an absolute gem, warm, always smiling, and incredibly helpful with great recommendations. The owner, Badr, is often around, making everyone feel like family with his generosity (don’t be surprised if you’re treated to a glass of Cava or dessert!). A must, visit every time I’m in Barcelona, delicious food, great vibes, and wonderful people.

A really cozy Italian restaurant with friendly service and great food. To start, we had the berenjena confitada, crudo de pez limón, and steak tartare, followed by the carbonara and the linguine with lobster. Overall, everything was very good, the starters might have even been the highlight. The only downside was the lobster linguine, which wasn’t our favorite since the strong cardamom flavor overpowered the whole dish.

This is by far the best restaurant I’ve been to in Barcelona. The vibe and interior are absolutely stunning and create a fantastic atmosphere. The staff was incredibly friendly, and the service was outstanding. As for the food — it exceeded all my expectations, especially considering the reasonable prices. The braised beef cheek was absolutely delicious: tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Everything was just right. I would recommend this place to everyone!

I loved all the appetizers and the desserts! The asparagus risotto had a bit too intense of a flavor for my taste, but everything else was excellent. The service was friendly, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming.

PROS: Great service Enjoyable atmosphere Good taste Great location CONS: Small portions Their desserts lacked flavor, especially the cheesecake. Very plain.

Lovely vibe and great music. Staff are friendly and caring. The seabass crudo with cucumber gazpacho caviar and avocado was fantastic. Carbonara was ok, lacking in salt. Focaccia for the table could’ve been warm and fresher. Recommended rose was great but all other drinks were disappointing: I asked for a mezcal margarita and it was not good, I saw the bartender add juice from a bottle so not fresh lemons? The limoncello sent free at with the bill was a nice touch but not good to drink at all. I will definitely go back here for the vibe and some of the food though.

Came after seeing the great reviews and it did not disappoint! The confit aubergine alla parmigiana was so flavourful and melted in their mouths, the spaghetti à la carbonara was perfection – probably the best carbonara of my life, and the grilled scallops were cooked to perfection, nice and tender with the fresh watermelon gazpacho. Jorge, our server, was so friendly and took amazing care of us. He is the one who offered all of the different recommendations and steered us in the right direction. He also welcomed us with warmth and enthusiasm, making our final night in Barcelona very memorable. Thank you, Jorge and Benzina!!!

If you're craving some authentic, delicious Italian food while in Barcelona, add this place to your list! The vibe is great: decor centers around the theme of cars as it used to be a car garage. Music is eclectic and entertaining (think a mix of rock, classics, soul sprinkled in). The service was excellent. Staff was attentive and answered any questions we had about the menu. We came for a later dinner around 22:00 and were able to get a table for 2 without a reservation, but this may have been due to the time of year we were visiting. Would be a cute date spot or place to catch up with a small group of friends. The space is a bit limited inside which may make it difficult for a group larger than 4 but there is also outdoor seating with umbrellas for coverage. For cocktails, the boxer was a nice smoky drink that complimented the linguine quite well. The linguine did come with a decent amount of lobster as well.

Great food. Came here on a date and the service and ambiance was phenomenal. Good vibe, good music, good drinks. Had the knockout which was bourbon based but tasted light and had a little bit of the bite for the ginger beer. The linguini with lobster was light for a pasta with a little hint of pesto. The carbonara was heavier, almost like a cream but not (egg). The pancetta was yum. The best was the eggplant parm with "Parmesan ice cream". We were definitely hesitant at first to order but it was great!!!! A must get. Hard to describe but it just worked. Don't be scared or turned off to get it. I forget who my waiter was, but tall guy with long hair and tats. He made the experience even better. Great service and contributed to the vibe.

Drinks are fantastic here! Try and get a reservation If you want to sit inside. So fun and lively.

Sure! Here's a casual rave review for Benzina in Barcelona: --- If you're in Barcelona and looking for a place that'll blow your taste buds away, you've got to check out Benzina! This spot is a hidden gem that's totally worth seeking out. From the moment you walk in, you're hit with this cool, laid-back vibe that just screams awesome night out. The menu is a delightful mix of Italian flavors with a modern twist. I started with the burrata, which was creamy and fresh, paired perfectly with a vibrant tomato and basil salad. It's a classic done right, and it sets the tone for the rest of the meal. The pasta dishes here are next-level. I had the truffle tagliolini, and let me tell you, it was out of this world. Rich, flavorful, and just the right amount of truffle to make it feel decadent without being overwhelming. Every bite was a little slice of heaven. And don't even get me started on the cocktails. The mixologists at Benzina know their stuff. I had a Negroni that was perfectly balanced - bitter, sweet, and strong. It's clear they use top-notch ingredients and have a real passion for their craft. Service was spot-on, too. The staff is friendly and attentive without being overbearing, and they really know their menu. My husband was sick of me dragging him to 2 and 3 Michelin restaurants and wanted substantial non-complicated food. We were both happy.

Food, service, music, ambiance - all excellent! Creative, gastronomic italian food. The linguini with lobster, eggplant Parmesan, fried calamari, burrata, sea bass, steak, and everything else I tried was delicious. The music is great old rock 'n roll at just the right volume. Also, the non-alcoholic cocktails are fabulous!

I have come here for date night with my wife and for a group dinner with a group of our Italian friends and both times were excellent. Their cocktails are really good as is their wine selection. For dinner we tried a number of things however the eggplant appetizer really stood out. For mains our group tried a little bit of everything and the favorites were the carbonara and pork. Service is quick and friendly. We will definitely be back for another group dinner.

A Saturday night out at Benzina went all wrong! The food unfortunately missed the mark on all levels! We were sitting where we had a glimpse of the kitchen where I saw a lot of use of microwave. The pasta dish was ok, but my steak was subpar quality. I would not recommend Benzina.

Service was incredible, the owners greeted us at the door, we were sat and served immediately. Everyone was incredibly kind and talkative, and provided lots of information about each meal. The food was delicious, personally the aubergine was my favorite; it was served with parmesan ice cream which was INCREDIBLE! The cocktails were amazing and beautiful, the cocaine cocktail was perfect. The music throughout the night had absolutely no misses! Everything about this experience was perfect. At dessert I ordered a sferamisu, which could not have been better!! Everything was so tasteful and aesthetically cohesive, could not reccomend more!!

The food was interesting, fun, beautifully presented and perfectly cooked. The restaurant has large doors/windows to the outside providing a fresh atmosphere. The pasta carbonara and spaghetti were 10/10. Don't sleep on the appetizers, have you had Parmesan ice cream? This is a very well managed place, service is spot on. The staff actually seem happy to work here and are very friendly and engaging.

Amazing find in Barcelona for great Italian in a cool setting. Came in with low expectations after several restaurant failures during my recent trip to Spain, however, we were all blown away by every dish. Must haves - aubergine - lobster pasta - ravioli Only disappointment was the carbonara which was too creamy.

The most exciting Italian food I tried in Barcelona, the restaurant design has cool vibes like the surrounding neighborhood, but the food is something else. I started slowly with the refreshing rich girl cocktail (Aperol, limoncello, angostura and romero) and it really put me in the mood for some food! First was a few suppli, simply presented, the right amount of crispy and better than most I've had in Italy. I was really blown away by the stracciata, crayfish & bottarga - a taste sensation and one of the best dishes of recent memory. For the main I went with the gnocchi, octopus & pecorino (with a side of steamed asparagus), a combination I never thought would work but it really is amazing. Ending of course with dessert, which looked great and tasted even better. Their creme de mascarpone was just a wonderfully smooth and sweet way to finish but not without a 'required' shot of grappa. Highly recommended for anyone.

Benzina is the Italian word for gasoline, a strange name for a restaurant. I generate enough gas on my own and don't need more, thank you very much... But my partner and I are delighted we didn't let the name put us off. This Italian restaurant in a former auto repair shop delivers great service, tasty and attractively plated food and a hip, romantic atmosphere, in a secluded alleyway off the main street. We arrived early for a Continental meal (7:30 pm) and were immediately seated in a sweet spot near a large open window. Our waiter (who, as it turned out, was also the owner) was superb, leading us through a shared, brilliant meal of panzanella (bread salad), spinach and cheese ravioli with salmon tartare, and finishing with peach tarte tatin, chartreuse cream with homemade basil ice cream. We also received a complimentary limoncello. What a wonderful evening!

Very nice location away from the streets. Modern style and amazing staff. The starters were great especially the trout. The main courses were very tasty we ate the sirloin. Desert was not the greatest with too much chocolate on one and too much caramel on the tarte.

This place is amazing! The food, the service, the music, the birthday sing and special loud music is played. Really wonderful vibe! Upscale and classy. I sat at the bar and got to know Carlos the bartender. Oh and the bar staff speak English! Whoop! They have an amazing selection of fine liquors, Knob creek, vodkas and gins! If in the area, they are closed Monday and Tuesday and holidays. They take good care of the staff, I like that about a restaurant. When my panzanella salad arrived, it was served with a description of the ingredients. Nice place! I'll be back while I'm here enjoying Barcelona! Did I mention the great music! Just being piped in, but whoop!

did not disappoint. service, food, wine, ambiance - all perfection!!! One of our best meals in Barcelona. Lots of locals very few tourists.

Cute atmosphere. But the lobster linguine tasted like they dumped half a bottle of salt on my plate. Would definitely not come back.

Food is good but not great. Atmosphere is loud and borderline obnoxious. Overall the place tries too hard to be fun and fails at the primary goal of being a restaurant.

The food is delicious. We started with the steak tartar- which was incredible. My fiancé had the filet and voted it the best meal of our trip. I had the grilled octopus which was also delicious. The "spherimasu" is a very delicious, very instagramable dessert. The cocktails are really good, too!! Glad we stumbled upon this place.

This was a truly great find. Delicious authentic Italian in a newly renovated (Brooklyn style) atmosphere outside of the tourist hustle. We arrived a little early but they seated us anyway and allowed us to have a couple of drinks while they prepared for dinner. The staff was very well trained and attentive and the young, English owner took the time to introduce himself and tell about his restaurant, his background, and the menu. He was as attentive as the staff. The food. The food was GREAT. The White Ragout with fresh pasta was divine with the perfect balance of flavors. The Pasta Volonge was delicious as well without being overly salty. We left so full and happy we were glad for the 4 block walk back to our flat. This is a must visit restaurant we predict will be the talk of the town in no time. Get there before it's discovered!