SFReview
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
Barcino
This spot is Permanently Closed.
If we lived in Death Valley, Dubai, or just about any other place where heat above 85 degrees didn’t require an emergency alert, Barcino would be an ideal restaurant. That’s because we can imagine wanting to come here if it was too hot to actually eat a real meal. While the tapas are good, we have yet to walk away from a dinner here satisfied.
The dishes at Barcino are slightly unconventional takes on Spanish classics. They’re drizzled with sauces and very nice to look at, and besides that, pretty tasty in general. But while we understand tapas are meant to be small, these are especially tiny - and they’re priced like they’re much bigger. The patatas bravas (a fancy take on the traditional fried potatoes), for example, come in orders of only four. The charred octopus is maybe OK to share with a friend or two, as long as those friends don’t eat seafood (although they could just eat the broccoli that comes with it, which is the best part of the dish). And there’s a tomato salad involving a handful of cherry tomatoes sliced in half. At Bellota, another Spanish restaurant from the same owner, the dishes are heartier and more appropriate for a full-on meal. But Barcino’s menu is really best for extremely expensive snacking.
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
That being said, it’s a pleasant place to spend some time. If you work in Mid-Market, this could easily become a go-to for team drinks and snacks post-work, provided that the eventual plan was to head somewhere else for dinner. Wooden beams and hanging plants give it a bit of a garden feel, and it has high ceilings and big windows that let in lots of light. Also, they make some excellent cocktails, particularly the gin and tonics poured tableside and served with a little side bottle of tonic. (You may not think of yourself as a G&T person, but if any version of the drink can convert you, it’s this.)
If you’re looking for a real meal, though, Barcino is not the place. Come for the excellent drinks and tasty-but-tiny tapas before seeing a symphony, SF Jazz performance, or show at Bill Graham (just plan on buying multiple boxes of Sno-Caps at the theater) - or wait until the next three-day heat wave.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
Pa
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
Tomaquet
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
Patata
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
Pop
photo credit: Krescent Carasso