Amar Barcelona
RepsolSpain's Repsol Guide awards up to 3 Soles for culinary excellence. One sol: notable quality.Michelin SelectedSelected by the Michelin Guide inspectors as a restaurant offering good cooking.Amar Barcelona
RepsolSpain's Repsol Guide awards up to 3 Soles for culinary excellence. One sol: notable quality.Michelin SelectedSelected by the Michelin Guide inspectors as a restaurant offering good cooking.Amar Barcelona is a luxury Mediterranean seafood restaurant inside Hotel El Palace's 1919 dining hall, awarded. Former elBulli head chef Rafa Zafra leads a kitchen centred on premium raw ingredients, oysters, whole fish by weight, and an extensive rice programme.
Background
About Amar Barcelona
The Story
Amar Barcelona opened in 2022 as a collaboration between Hotel El Palace and chef Rafa Zafra. The name 'Amar', meaning 'to love' in Spanish, captures Zafra's declaration of love to Barcelona, the Mediterranean, and honest, product-driven cooking. Zafra, born in Seville in 1981, spent formative years as head chef at elBulli before leading the Adria brothers' Heart Ibiza project. He went on to open Estimar in Barcelona and Madrid, Casa Jondal in Ibiza, and Rural in Madrid. At Amar, he brings that full career arc into a 1919 dining hall, one of Barcelona's most architecturally striking restaurant spaces.
The Cuisine
The kitchen at Amar centres on the Mediterranean's finest raw materials with minimal intervention. Oysters, caviar, and anchovies open the menu, followed by whole fish priced by weight and a substantial rice programme, arroz caldoso with lobster, paella marinera, and black rice among them. The Michelin Guide highlights the tasting menu 'Amar Lentamente' as the signature experience, giving centre stage to the sea. Charcoal-grilled meats (aged chuleton, suckling lamb) round out the offering for those who prefer turf to surf. The approach is restraint: let premium ingredients speak.
The Team
The kitchen is led day-to-day by head chef Gonzalo Hernandez under the creative direction of Rafa Zafra, who oversees the concept and menu across his restaurant group. The front-of-house team operates within the refined setting of Hotel El Palace, delivering service that matches the formality and grandeur of the century-old dining room.
Highlights
What Diners Say
Consensus
Amar Barcelona Ratings & Reviews
Professional Ratings
Selected
Average 150€ per person
1 Sol
Diner Ratings
4.4
170 reviews
TheFork
9.5
357 reviews
TripAdvisor
4.3
49 reviews
Professional recognition includes Michelin Selected, 1 Repsol sol, and Macarfi food 8.8/10. Diners rate it 4.4/5 on Google (170 reviews), 9.5/10 on TheFork (357 reviews), and 4.3/5 on TripAdvisor (49 reviews).
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Reservations
How to Book Amar Barcelona
Booking
Amar Barcelona serves lunch Friday and Saturday (13:30-15:00) and dinner Tuesday to Saturday (Tue-Thu 19:00-22:30, Fri-Sat 20:00-22:30). Closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations are required and can be made through the restaurant website or by emailing reservas@amarbarcelona.com.
Reserve
Experience
Amar Barcelona Dining Experience
The dining room at Amar Barcelona occupies a 1919 hall inside Hotel El Palace, featuring high ceilings, imposing columns, and sober curtains that let natural light stream through large windows. The overall feel is that of an elegant brasserie -- formal but not stiff, with an air of occasion suited to the seafood-focused menu.
Navigate
Amar Barcelona Location & Neighbourhood
Getting There
Amar Barcelona is located inside Hotel El Palace at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 668, in the la Dreta de l'Eixample neighbourhood. Passeig de Gracia metro station (L2/L3/L4) is a 3-minute walk. The hotel sits along one of Barcelona's main boulevards, steps from Casa Batllo and the city's most prominent modernist landmarks.
Nearby
La Dreta de l'Eixample is the right-hand side of Barcelona's grand Eixample district, home to iconic landmarks such as Casa Batllo and La Pedrera along Passeig de Gracia. The neighbourhood is defined by its wide, grid-pattern streets lined with modernist architecture, upscale shopping, and a high concentration of fine-dining restaurants. Its central location makes it one of the most accessible areas in the city for visitors and locals alike.
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Details
Amar Barcelona Reservations, Hours & Contact
Opening Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 19:00–22:30 |
| Wednesday | 19:00–22:30 |
| Thursday | 19:00–22:30 |
| Friday | 13:30–15:00 & 20:00–22:30 |
| Saturday | 13:30–15:00 & 20:00–22:30 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Amar Barcelona hours verified 2026-03-01. Contact the restaurant to confirm.
Contact
Required. Bookings available through the restaurant website.
Good to Know
Social
From amarbarcelonarestaurant on Instagram
Pan, mantequilla y el placer de empezar bien. 〰️ Bread, butter, and the pleasure of starting well. 〰️ Pa, mantega i el plaer de començar bé. #AmarBarcelona #AmarBarcelonaRestaurant #HotelPalaceBarcelona #RafaZafra #gastronomicexperience
Erizo, tartar de gamba con caviar. No utilizamos el caviar como producto principal, sino como ingrediente para realzar los sabores de cada plato. El fetiche de nuestro chef Rafa Zafra. 〰️ Sea urchin, prawn tartare with caviar. We don't use caviar as the main ingredient, but as a touch to enhance t
El excelente producto que llega a nuestra cocina es el comienzo de la experiencia en Amar Barcelona. 〰️ The excellent product that arrives in our kitchen is the beginning of the experience at Amar Barcelona. 〰️ L'excel·lent producte que arriba a la nostra cuina és l'inici de l'experiència a Amar
Lomo alto de buey a la brasa y mantequilla Café París. 〰️ Chargrilled beef ribeye with Café de Paris butter. 〰️ Llomo alt de bou a la brasa amb mantega Cafè de París. #AmarBarcelona #AmarBarcelonaRestaurant #HotelPalaceBarcelona #RafaZafra #gastronomicexperience
Cada mesa, cada luz, cada detalle: así preparamos Amar Barcelona para recibirles. 〰️ Every table, every light, every detail: this is how we prepare Amar Barcelona to welcome you. 〰️ Cada taula, cada llum, cada detall: així preparem Amar Barcelona per rebre-us. #AmarBarcelona #AmarBarc
La torrija, uno de los grandes clásicos de nuestra tradición dulce, encuentra su lugar en la mesa de Amar Barcelona. 〰️ The torrija, one of the great classics of our sweet tradition, finds its place at the table of Amar Barcelona. 〰️ La torrija, un dels grans clàssics de la nostra tradició dolça
Questions
Amar Barcelona FAQ
What is the dress code at Amar Barcelona?
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No formal dress code is published, but smart casual to formal attire is appropriate given the elegant setting inside Hotel El Palace's historic 1919 dining room.
Is Amar Barcelona located inside El Palace hotel?
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Yes, Amar Barcelona is located inside Hotel El Palace at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 668. The restaurant occupies the hotel's historic 1919 dining hall and you enter through the hotel lobby on Gran Via.
What are the menu options at Amar Barcelona?
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Amar offers an extensive à la carte menu focused on Mediterranean seafood, plus the signature tasting menu 'Amar Lentamente' for €145. The à la carte features oysters, Cantabrian anchovies, an extensive rice programme (minimum 2 people), whole fish priced by weight, and charcoal-grilled meats including aged chuletón.
How much does the tasting menu cost at Amar Barcelona?
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The signature tasting menu 'Amar Lentamente' costs €145 per person.
Is the menu at Amar Barcelona available in English?
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Yes, given their location in a luxury international hotel and service to international clientele, English menu service is available.
How do I make a reservation at Amar Barcelona?
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Reservations are required and can be made through the restaurant website at amarbarcelona.com, by emailing reservas@amarbarcelona.com, or calling +34 931 039 988. The restaurant serves lunch on Friday and Saturday (13:30-15:00) and dinner Tuesday to Saturday (Tue-Thu 19:00-22:30, Fri-Sat 20:00-22:30); closed Sunday and Monday.
Does Amar Barcelona have a Michelin star?
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No, Amar Barcelona does not have a Michelin star. However, it is 'Michelin Selected' in the Michelin Guide and holds one Repsol Sol.