Barca Tapas & Cava Bar

I have been to Barca a couple of times before and enjoyed it. Sadly my experience this time was not great at all. It seemed to take ages for someone to take our drinks order and it was then around thirty minutes before we got to order our food and that was after we asked.
To be fair I think there was a bit of confusion about whether we were waiting for another person to arrive. When we did order we were told it would take time as there were a few large tables in, so we decided to order some bread and olives. The bread arrived but no olives, our food then arrived so we decided to just leave them.
I ordered the pork loin and was pretty disappointed by how fatty it was, the patatas bravas and calamari made up for it as they were both cooked well and tasted good. We had booked through
and it was only £12 for three tapas and a dessert. This is a great deal and you do get a lot for your money. I think we were just pretty unlucky with the service we received and I would go back. It’s also important to note that the staff were friendly when we interacted with them.

Not impressed with the service in here tonight.
Started off with just going in for drinks then decided to have some tapas. Half of the items we wanted were not available then what we did order came out in dribs and drabs. My friend waited for 40 mins for the bread and dips.
The management did apologise and we were compensated but poor show for what was not a busy saturday.
The only plus side is that the menu clearly states what is gluten free.

The establishment is in an upmarket shopping mall with a very stylish interior which is quite spacious and some «outside» tables which are on the balconies of the covered mall. Prices match the upmarket setting and the place is not cheap.
The gin cocktails are lovely and very authentically something you might get in Spain. Service is excellent and the whole business of dining here is agreeable, relaxed and enjoyable.
We had six tapas dishes and they would have got the fifth star if all were of the same excellent standard.
Unfortunately the hake dish which was in a citrus and saffron sauce definitely had far too much saffron in it, which is a well known foodie faux pas.
All in all though a very agreeable meal but not somewhere I’d rush back to based on the setting and price, I’m not really a shopping mall regular, we found this using Recce.

Came here with my glam fam from Italy, seeing as half of them were a bit picky with food, Spanish seemed to be the safer option.
I didn’t choose this place either! I suggested checking out Princes Square and my fam gravitated towards the Spanish name (haha) I’m quite glad that was the case cause we had pretty good food for dinner!
There were 6 of us including my wee 12 year old brother. So we ordered for starters, a bread, and a sliced meat and cheese platter, for mains, seafood paella for 5 people, chicken wings for the little bro, a trio dessert platter, and a selection of wines, beers and sangria for drinks.
I was quite disappointed with the starters because the bread we ordered (that’s comes with olives and oil) were just a bit pathetic. Shouldn’t a Spanish restaurant naturally bring bread without us having to order it? And constantly refill it? I dunno. The meat and cheese platter was nice, but def not enough for the 6 of us (5 being italians with huge appetites).
Our paella was pretty delicious! Huge portion and with a lot of seafood (which got me super excited!). Def recommend that!
And our desserts were delightful. It was a platter so there was chocolate mousse, churros and crème bulee. I can’t choose a favourite because I loved them all. Great way to end the meal!
Not forgetting my sangria. It was warm that day and my drink hit the spot! Yum yum
Service was pretty good and fast so nothing to complain here! Should give it a try :)

I quite liked it. Food was fine and the service was reasonably efficient. Not quite the real thing but fine

Went there for a Sunday lunch. It took over an hour and a half from beginning to end. The service is incredibly slow. The waiters don’t seem to notice people. Making you wait so long that you’ve already decided everything then only taking a drinks order (a clearly transparent way to make sure you’re ready to order another drink before the end of the meal) is unacceptable. Doing that is fine if you’re taking the order 2 minutes after the customer has sat down but not 15 minutes after. The place wasn’t even busy so it’s hard to figure out why it was like this. The food itself was fine though. So if you have A LOT of time to spare, this place is for you!

At the end of the night here it’s hot and smelly and can get over crowded with people dancing and swinging about l saw one poor woman get slammed into by a guy and the glass that she was drinking from broke as she was taking a drink, she was sure lucky not to have been worse off. They seem to be still advertising for Valentine’s night l forgot to tell them it was over, drinks are expensive and they don’t do cash back at the bar, the food is an ok.

Wandering around Princes square we popped in here for a spot of lunch and was far from disappointed. Not only do they do an array of mouthwatering Tapas they have an excellent express lunch menu which we opted for and at only £9.95 for two courses we were surprised by the big selection to choose from.
We had the Steamed mussels and Prawn pancakes for starters. The mussels where huge!!! and they don’t hold back on quantity.
For the mains we had the Paella of the Day and The Spanish meat platter. both were cooked to perfection. Teamed with a couple of glasses of vino and a great table in the sunshine people watching it made for a great location.
Staff couldn’t have been more friendly or attentive… Good on ya guys! :)

As always enjoyed lunch here last week during a shopping trip to town with Mum in tow. Bread and dips as an appetiser were very very good and various tapas choices to share for main were all fresh and excellent, wine of course was perfect temperature. Staff are professional and friendly. Sitting out on the balcony of Princes Square it is airy and bright inside décor is chic, probably better for more intimate evening dining. This is on our list of lunch venues for any our guests who visit the city centre. I know my son is looking forward to mussels at Barca next time he is treated to lunch in town!

A short video about Barca.
Video link:

I’m surprised as Barca seems to get better ratings than I thought it would have got, don’t get me wrong, it’s not the worst dining experience I’ve ever had but certainly not the best. I find the whole place rather flat and the both times I have eaten here I’ve come away feeling a bit flat too.
The first time I came here was on Valentines Day with my aunt a few years ago, we had booked theatre tickets completely forgetting the 14^th was Valentines Day, I guess it shows how much we both value that ‘special’ day. As it was Valentines Day they had a set menu and there was a lot to choose from, for starters we both had some oysters which I love, especially the way they wiggle down the old oesophagus. I had to eat my aunts too as she wasn’t too keen. Our oysters were followed by Gazpacho I’d never tried it before but to be honest cold soup really didn’t do anything for me and I haven’t tried it again since. Our main was a salmon dish which to be honest was completely forgettable and the dessert was a nice cheesecake which was pretty good. Overall, the portions were small for the price and pretty unmemorable. Maybe it’s just because it was Valentines Day but the place was completely empty but I enjoyed my meal even though it was nothing to write home about.
The second time I visited it was a works night out which was about a year after I’d visited with my aunt. Yet again the place was empty and all the furniture is dark wood or black and the walls are a sort of red/​orange colour which makes the place feel like some kind of fiery pit. I’ve also noticed that both times I’ve been here I’ve been freezing, perhaps due to the lack of people there. To be quite honest I can’t remember what I had the second time I was there reinforcing just how forgettable the food was.
They do have a well stocked bar where I enjoyed a few cocktails and the staff are quite friendly and who knows maybe I’d enjoy it more if it has been a bit busier on my visits but to me it has an odd flat and oppressive atmosphere about it and if you’re looking for tapas I would recommend La Tasca or Café Andaluz rather than Barca.

Picture the scene, it’s my first ever night in Glasgow and I’ve come up to visit my now boyfriend, then potential-​boyfriend. He’s decided to impress me after my long journey, and take me somewhere impressive, special, and different. And that place was Barca.
Located in Princes Square, which is just a lovely place to be, Barca is on the top floor with both an «inside» eating area and a mezzanine/​balcony area over the rest of the shopping centre. Trust me on this one, though, Princes Square is not a normal shopping centre, and so it doesn’t feel like you’re sat eating in one. Instead it’s designed to look and feel like a Mediterranean street square — which makes it a very pleasant eating environment.
The menu is huge, and the only problem you’ll have is trying to agree on which dishes to order. The beauty of tapas, though, is that you can order as much or as little as you like. I particularly like the seafood dishes (the crab cakes are to die for) but there are some great garlicky chicken dishes too. For those who want an even more authentic Spanish experience — there is Paella on offer. Just don’t forget to order some of the Spanish donuts for dessert. You won’t regret it.
And now for the drinks; Barca have an absolutely fabulous cocktail menu. I’ve been in a couple of times just for drinks (which the staff are perfectly happy with by the way). They also have a great selection of wines and beers — so everybody will be happy.
As for the date, it was very successful and I moved to Glasgow very soon after. Whether it was for the fantastic tapas or the boyfriend himself, though, I’m still not sure.

Admittedly, as a first-​timer, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from Barca. However, I have it on numerous recommendations that it is one of the best, if not the best, in Glasgow. While I’ve heard plenty a rumour about La Tasca’s re-​heated leftovers and Café Andaluz’ exorbitant prices, Barca has always stood out amongst the chatter as the most consistent.
While this is all conjecture, Barca definitely exceeded my expectations. La Tasca tends to be loud and busy, while Barca has an air of sophistication about it. Located inside Princes Square shopping centre beside the Italian restaurant Zizzi, it’s very chic and welcoming.
The staff were helpful and honest in their suggestions and recommendations. While some places where you order several smaller plates often try to over-​sell, the waitress’ suggestions were right on the mark. We ordered something like 5 tapas dishes and a side between 2 of us and walked away satisfied. It cost something like £35 including a glass of wine and a pint or two.
If you’re unsure about the idea of tapas, or your tastes differ wildly from your dining partner, there are also a few choices of main courses for about £10 each. I personally love the Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes with paprika), the delicious crabcakes (we fought over the last one), and the chicken skewers. There are also some Moroccan dishes which complement the menu well.
Overall it was an excellent dining experience and I’m dying to return to try more!

this is a spanish tapa bar located on the top floor inside princes square shopping mall
it has a bar, 2 alfresco eating areas and a restaurant it can seat up to 120 people and is opens 7 days from lunchtime
the food is good and there is a selection of vegeterian but the portions are very small and most tapa dishes are about 3.50 which can work out rather expensive, good if there are a few of you there so you can sample a few different things.
theres a good selection of wine to choose from and also a cocktail menu
which are reasonably priced

First of all, Princes Square is a really cute place to go. Another thing is that Barca is maybe the only authentic Spanish tapas and cava bar in Glasgow. Well what it lacks is the sunshine and the suntanned women but the food is up there.
As someone who shares Spanish ancestry and is an expert at its cuisine, whenever in Glasgow, you must hit up Barca. The presentation is clean and pretty. And the taste is just as authentic. Nothing beats a home cooked Spanish meal by grandmother, but this comes close.
First dish I’ll talk about is the paella, though not served in a ten foot wide pan, the paella here is just like it is in Spain. I thought a fancy looking place like this would try to fuse it with other genres or regions of cooking. But they got it right here: rice, fish, broth, shells… paella. Just to let you know, you can get paella with different meats.
Going to a tapas bar, you must try other dishes so I always go for the chicken skewers, lemon chicken and the king prawns. Sounds like an Asian menu but it isn’t. Now I don’t intend on eating these myself, so it’s good to come in a group. Last but not least, the prices here are reasonable. I’m thinking if this place was in LA, NY or London, plates of tapas would go for 8 quid or 20 dollars. But here, they go from close to 4 pounds to 10, so expect to spend a reasonable amount of money for a lot of food.
Last but not least, great drinks. Gotta like a place that serves too many different types of martinis. A high recommendation for dates, relaxing or after shopping meal.

Hate shopping, love Barca
I agree with the above reviewer regarding noise etc. Barca Tapas anc Cava Bar is situated inside Princes Square shopping centre/​arcade. There is an echoing effect as your up in the rafters but I do enjoy sitting out in the atrium and not inside, for me inside means you could be anywhere, outside it is almost like eating al fresco and lots or people watching to be done.
The tapas here (I havent tried the paella) is cooked well and presented well. The staff are usually polite and helpful if a trifle hurried — I’ve never been on a quiet day, I often go on a Saturday to reward myself for venturing out shopping in the big smoke, they can be so busy I have usually always had to catch their attention rather than them be attentive.
I have sampled most of the tapas on the menu over the past couple of years and have never been disappointed, the patatas bravas are not brave enough for me and could do with some more heat but thats a small issue and it doesnt stop me from ordering them again and again.
The cocktails are imaginative — the Johnny Cash Manhatten knocked my socks off, and the cocktail menu makes a very good read.
The dishes are usually between 4 or 5 pounds going up to £12 for a platter of air dried meats fand artichoke salad for two to share. The paellas are about a tenner. The portions usually come in 3’s so get sharing!
Yes, put the shopping on hold and pop into Barca.

Yummy foodbut it can be a bit busy and annoying! It’s quite expensive for what you get but nice enough none the less.

It’s worth a trip to barca for the décor alone. Bypass the terrace (during the day you have to listen to the squeals of hyperactive children) and sit inside the restaurant. It’s warm and cosy in there, with the walls a deep Catalan red in colour. There’s an impressive range of dishes on offer in this tapas and cava bar, from platters of spanish cheeses and cold meets, traditional paella cooked to order (allow 45 minutes for this) to the house signature dish of scallops topped with black pudding and serrano ham. The cocktail list is equally impressive, many of the concoctions have been invented by the Barca bartenders, and are served up professionally with a smile, even on busy salsa nights which occur on the first and last Friday of every month. A real Spanish fiesta, the standard of dancing is excellent, but don’t be shy and join in one of the free lessons on offer.