Review Barrafina Tapas Bar - Sydney

The food is amazing and the rosa sangria delicious. Absolutely worth on Wednesday night with half price tapas deal!

Great selection of tapas and sangrias! Definitely going to visit again!

The tapas was mostly delicious but pricey. Go on Wednesday evenings where they have half-price specials (food only) and it becomes really good value. The portions are decent and would recommend going with a few friends to share more dishes.

We visited Barrafina last Friday evening straight after work, the bar area was full but there was plenty of seating in the main dining area. The bar has a nice vibe and really friendly staff. Food was good but not outstanding - of the 5 dishes we ordered I enjoyed the croquettes and the tomato bruschetta best. I am not sure how they got such amazing tomatoes when they have been so terrible this season. We paid $63 for 5 tapas and 2 drinks which I thought was pretty good value.

So happy I discovered this little gem. Went there with a Groupon deal for 10 tapas with two other people. Staff was very nice and accommodating, food was absolutely delicious and all three of us couldn't even finish off the desserts as we were so full! Mind you one of the best waffles in caramel sauce in my life! Would definitely recommend it and would be happy to go again soon! It was yummy!

Delicious and authentic Spanish tapas. Reminded me of the tapas I ate in Madrid and Barcelona. Estrella on tap was nice. We did the Groupon deal 10 tapas for $79 including a bottle of sangria and it was amazing value. We were able to pick anything on the menu, including all the platters. We paid extra for dessert. The churros were the only thing we didn't really like, but the waffles made up for it and everything else was great.

This is a solid tapas place that has livened up the area. All your usual tapas favourites here and grabbing the banquet means you get to try their main specialties. No particular dish stood out as exceptional or exceptionally bad, but what did was the pleasant surprise when the bill came and the attentive staff. During the day it's almost entirely businessmen, possibly due to the staff, yet with decent coffee and a nice outdoor area, it could be that as well. Turns into a cool little bar at night.

We went on Wednesday which was half price tapas (great !!) or it is a bit pricy for the amount of food you get. The waitress was not helpful at all with the menu and was too busy talking amongst themselves at the counter. Food was tasty tho.

Opting to try a little something different for lunch on this occasion, I turned to Barrafina Tapas Bar in the CBD! We're greeted with a fun quote painted on the front wall that reads "Una comida sin vino se llama desayuno" (A meal without wine is called breakfast) and so my first order is for the Rosa Sangria. A fresh, colourful and fruity drink which I really enjoyed! The rest of our tapas were all beautifully plated but in terms of taste, I think it was average at the very best. The only one that stood out to me as being unique and an flavourful was the fish fingers with white anchovy, romansco and polenta. Prices are also on the high end and I don't see it as great value but the $20 express lunch deal for around 4 tapas is a good deal. Service was nice and friendly though so we ended up having a very pleasant lunch

This place is one of our favourite tapas joints & is one of our hotspots for a working lunch!<br/><br/>The staff here are super friendly, food delicious & white sangria to die for!<br/><br/>Our favourite are the Lamb Ribs – so tender, juicy and sauce so Moorish!<br/><br/>Did we mention the white sangria? So. Delicious.

Dined here on a $50 Groupon voucher where I could spend up to $100 on food and drink. <br/><br/>1) soft shell crab slider was really tiny. Was ok<br/><br/>2) wild mushroom croquettes had a strong almost truffle-like smell to it. Really earthy taste. Crunchy outside. Was ok<br/><br/>3) zucchini flowers were average<br/><br/>4) cauliflower with pomegranate. Tasted bland<br/><br/>5) pan seared scallops, 4 for $25 biggest rip off yet<br/><br/>6) twice cooked patatas bravas was not like what you normally expect at a Spanish restaurant. They were chips, not chunks of potato.... more like dip and chips<br/><br/>Overall, the food is so average that I regret buying the Groupon. <br/>

I've always liked the food here that caters well for those loving to share dishes. The Monday special of Seafood Paella sounded pretty good for $20. First they serve up a charcuterie board of jamon serano, Spanish salami, olives and pan con tomato. Love the big olives they use. Cured meats were nice. Wash downed with an Estrella Spanish beer on tap that's included in the price, or a glass of wine if you prefer. Seafood paella comes with chorizo, saffron rice, black mussel, prawn, calamari. Nice deveined prawns and a tasty rice underneath which is more a dry style than wet. The seafood seems to be added to the rice base rather than being cooked with it. A squeeze of lemon goes a long way with bring the dish together on the palate. Service was friendly and efficient.

I specifically made an account so I could leave a review after having had dinner here- the food was delicious! I took my partner there for our anniversary and we went a bit overboard, had scallops, zucchini flowers, jamon toastie, croquettas, cauliflower salad and ribs between us. All were amazing, really rich but balanced and delicious. Big standouts were the ribs, with a sweet caramelised marinade, and the comforting cauliflower salad, followed closely by the scallops. My partner ordered waffles for dessert which had a great caramel sauce, too. For drinks, they had one of my favourite beers available (Lord Nelson Three Sheets), a great wine list (bit out of my price range!) and sangria. I've ordered jugs of random sangria, but here they make each one almost like a cocktail. My favourite was the Real-based sangria which was nice and strong, without being too sweet.Staff were attentive without being in your face, which is a great accomplishment for a small space :) they were friendly and accommodating, and didn't turn their noses up because we are students (I was concerned that, given the location, we'd be a bit out of place and may be judged).Lovely spot, I'd love to go again!

My colleagues went there for lunch and were very impressed by the food so I was very happy when invited to the after work drinks.<br/>We ordered a beer and a sangria. It took about 15 mins to get the beer. And then I asked about the sangria and was told it is on the way. After another 15mins, we realised my drink was given to someone sitting across the table.<br/><br/>After brought this up to the waitress, I did not get any apology.<br/><br/>So I told my colleagues that I was there for a drink to wash away the stress from work, but received more stress from ordering and getting the drink.<br/><br/>Lesson learnt: it's not a place for drinks.<br/>

Came here a few weeks ago.  Perhaps it was the choice of dishes we chose, but we weren't too happy.  Lamb ribs were about 2/3 fat and flavour was pretty much contained in the rind, the lamb meat itself wasn't as flavoursome - was quite oily.  I guess we should have figured that out since it is lamb "ribs" after all. <br/><br/>We're also not sure why the croquettes were more expensive than the sausage rolls, considering they were half the size.  Both dishes were great.  The sausage rolls had a lovely pastry, and dense and generous filling, with a nice touch of grilled preserved tomato. Jamon and manchego croquettes had a creamy and soft filling - definitely one of the above average croquettes from the ones I've tried.<br/><br/>Churros had a denser texture than other places I've tried.  Other places usually focus on a crunchier exterior, while here much of the focus was on the very "potato dough" like innards - quite dense and almost creamy, not too fluffy.  Dark chocolate sauce was runny and almost powdery to the tongue, like it was made from cocoa powder rather than dark chocolate block.  <br/><br/>Service here is beautiful.  Chairs are not the most comfortable - they're the type where the back of the chair is made by a loop of metal and so there's no full backing on the chair.  Ambience is dim-lit, casual, great for a date or night out with friends.

Good food but set menu not filling enough. Also for a work venue more care should be taken to ventilate properly. Came out stinking of fried food

Absolutely worth every dime that you spend here! Quite enjoyed the little selection of crostinis to start as they were just a nice and refreshing mouthful but I think the bread was a little soggy. Really loved the scallops, they were cooked to perfection with a nice pan sear on the outside but a springy centre. Major fan of the beef cheeks and the lamb ribs as they were both soft and falling off the bone, really great cuts of meat with just the right amount of fat. Both dishes were juicy, succulent and coated with a nice sticky gravy. Also tried the prawn salad which I thought was a little heavy on the dressing. The braised octopus was also not a crowd pleaser as it was a little rubbery and lacked depth of flavour.<br/><br/>Waitstaff could do a better job though, it was very hard to get their attention even though they were right in front of you and I had a small disagreement while paying my bill which I thought could be handled a bit more curteously. <br/><br/>A bit more consistency would probably be good but overall not a bad experience given the moderate pricetag.

Very cosy bar with a interesting menu of Mediterranean fusion. We had the cauliflower salad, beef cheeks and tuna. We'd go back just for the salad. The beef cheeks are tender but very sweet. Tuna was probably the least favourite.

50% on all food on a Wednesday night made our meal very good value.  However, if I'd paid the full price I don't think I would have been as impressed.  Food was good, but not amazing.  Beef cheeks and patatas bravas were the stand out.  Calamari and Croquetas were average. Roast pumkin and beetroot salad could have been fantastic if served warm rather than out-of-the-fridge cold.  Service was only average, despite the place being almost empty.

Stumbling upon this place in the CBD for the first time and how I was amazed with the delicious food, drinks and tapas! Coming on Wednesday and realising that tapas on the seasonal menu was all at 50% off you can't go wrong. As entree, main and dessert was served one by one I was both amazed and delighted by the Lamb ribs that's just falling of bones, crispy and soft calamari, beautifully cooked tuna and too good to be true desserts! I've already booked in my next visit.

Overall a pretty nice place. The service was good. I had the Jamon And Manchego Croquetas, Tomato Salsa. Flavour of these were tasty however the middle of them were lukewarm and tomato salsa was cold so ruined a nice dish. I also had Artisan Cured Meats and Pan-seared Scallops With Chorizo And Sweet Corn Purée. Both of these were delicious and very tasty. The cured meats was a grazing board and portions are quite generous.

This place is not really a casual dining place but more for business meeting, as it is located within that area.<br/><br/>So going on a weekday did make us feel a lil out of place.<br/><br/>Nevertheless the tapas were really good. We enjoyed all the dishes we had.<br/><br/>Worth dropping by if you work close by.<br/><br/>

Overall I was happy with the food at Barrafina. The scallops were done well, the lamb tasty and the fig salad sweet and refreshing. The soft shell crab sliders were a let down - they were nice but not outstanding and definitely not worth the $9 price tag for one. Between two people we definitely over ordered on dessert, ordering both the profiteroles and the banana waffles. The waffles were definitely better than the profiteroles - I think the chocolate sauce and Icecream made the profiteroles too overpowering and rich. <br/>The highlight of the night for me was the seared tuna - it had a nice sesame coating and an interesting complementing sauce. <br/><br/>The service was not spectacular in any way and actually quite inattentive. The only chance we got to request anything was the occasional time they came to take out used plates. <br/><br/>Between two people you would probably need to order around 6-8 dishes.

Quite an enjoyable experience, staff were lovely and well presented.knowledge of the menu was very good and I was guided in the right direction<br/><br/>Food itself was very well presented making full use of the vibrant colours within the menu. I'd come back for more<br/><br/>The Tapas and share plates are generous and absolutely delicious, well worth the money

Hidden gem in the city! Loved their pea sprout and prawn salad, juicy lamb ribs, anchovies on polenta, and soft shell crab sliders. Highly recommend it for a social gathering and some wine over tapas!

Odd part of the city to find a tapas bar, but seems to trap enough people leaving the office.<br/>Wine list is pretty good, beers are OK, some good Australian supermarket pale ale, and some execrable Spanish offerings: I think Estrella is Spanish VB, in a much nicer bottle.<br/>Soft shell crab sliders are awesome. Hanger steak is great, treated with respect by the chef. Patatas are OK. Churro really damn good.<br/>Nice stand by for this part of the city.

I don't know if it was how hungry I was that night, or if it was just the food speaking for itself, but either way, I attacked each and every flavoursome dish at Barrafina like a starving, rabid dog tearing into a juicy chicken drumstick.<br/><br/>We started off with soft shell crab sliders, where the crispy, deep-fried soft shell crab worked amazingly with the light avocado mousse and chipotle mayo. The health trip continued with croquetas in a tomato salsa - crumbed and crunchy on the outside, with decadently creamy jamon serrano and manchego cheese insides. "Fish fingers" (unlike any other fish finger you've ever had before), with white anchovies was probably one of my favourite savoury dishes of the night, though calling a favourite is nearly impossible when tossing up between succulent pan-seared scallops with chorizo and a sweet corn puree, amazingly fresh swordfish ceviche with tangy beetroot puree and dill aioli, or seriously finger-licking good, fall-off-the-bone, braised lamb ribs.<br/><br/>Our least favourite was probably the slightly bland pork and pistachio meatballs, but that was all forgotten with the arrival of the yamba prawn salad with fetta and beans (my friends proclaimed it as the best salad they'd ever had), and the meat grazing board (complete with heaped piles of various meats, pickles, chicken liver parfait and crusty breads).<br/><br/>I don't know how we did it, but us three girls managed to polish off two desserts, even after this behemoth amount of food: "stoner's delight" - fluffy waffles with caramelised bananas, vanilla ice cream and drowned in a butterscotch sauce, and "pop your cherry" - a supremely rich, chocolate fondant that oozed molten chocolate lava when cut open, with cherry foam and sitting in an absolutely glorious pool of chocolate sauce. I will unashamedly admit that I have a food fetish about sauces with my food (please sir, can I have some more?), and I almost died and went to heaven when I saw the generous puddles of sauce with each dessert.<br/><br/>The meal definitely wasn't cheap, and we did honestly feel like the price tags for some dishes definitely weren't justified, but man - it was seriously good while it lasted.

The tapas and share plates here are amazing. Everything is so delicious and flavoursome. The atmosphere is romantic and soft at night and the ambience is very chic. The customer service is attentive and engaging. I was recommended this place by a friend and its great. Every wednesday night they do 50% off tapas menu. I suggest getting a few friends together and getting the grazing boards they are really good value.

My work colleagues really like this place as the staff are friendly, food really good and selection of plates pretty impressive.<br/><br/>We really like the Scallops with Chorizo and the Soft Shell Crab Sliders.<br/><br/>Definitely recommend for business lunch or after work drink

We had a groupon voucher for 4 people and I thought it was really good value for money. We were seated immediately and the food came out shortly after. One of our friends had a few dietary requirements but the waitress didn't care to ask before starting the set menu. Unfortunately I didn't quite understand the food at this place. One dish was an egg yolk in half an egg shell, sprinkled with ham or paprika served half warm. The scallops were really nice but my friend found a hair in hers. The desert was confusing - creme brûlée with rose water syrup and a 'baklava' on top. We left feeling underwhelmed, they gave us a further 25% off the final bill for the hair incident which should've been more if they wanted to save their reputation.

Barrafina is a dash of Barcelona, with a twist, right in the heart of Sydney CBD, the real business heart downtown. In this case they're right on the corner of Bligh and Bent streets.It's a place that has that certain feel to it - you relax instantly in the chic yet casual surroundings just knowing that you're in for a good night.

It shares a neighbourhood with the most polished and formal of skyscrapers in Sydney’s CBD district, you’re more likely to spot the latest in officewear trends with a glance your fellow diners, and its interiors of dark walls, light wooden wall furnishings and metallic accents channels minimalist sophistication. One conversation with Barrafina executive chef and owner, Peter Varvaresso, however, reveals that the energy driving this tapas bar is anything but stiff-necked or formal.

Barrafina on Bligh Street in the CBD is serving up delicious, well balanced and full flavoured Spanish tapas and share platters. Come for lunch or settle in for an evening of fine-dining… Spanish style. Step into Barrafina, where you will be greeted and seated by one of the very friendly waiters. Black canvas menus are handed out and inside, gaze your eyes upon a tantalising list of tapas dishes and wines from all over the world.

Last Friday, D2D and I ended the working week with a double date dinner with YJ and D. What a great way to wind down and it was a surprisingly warmer week too, so that was quite nice. A taste of the spring and summer nights coming back? Couldn’t be sooner!. If you haven’t noticed, D2D and I use Groupons a bit. Sometimes it’s just to try a random restaurant or we happen upon a good deal for a restaurant we’ve had on our “to try” list for a while. The bargains are often not bad, especially when you stack it with one of their promo codes (often 10% or 15% off) and 4% cashback with CashRewards – the vouchers often turn out to be – 80% of the time – quite good. This was YJ’s first experience with Groupon, so hopefully it was a good one!

Barrafina is a dash of Barcelona, with a twist, right in the heart of Sydney CBD, the real business heart downtown. In this case they're right on the corner of Bligh and Bent streets.It's a place that has that certain feel to it - you relax instantly in the chic yet casual surroundings just knowing that you're in for a good night.

Good atmosphere, perfect for small groups and first date, relaxing but not too causal. The slow cooked lamb ribs were amazing, best ribs I ever had, was in its perfect shape but sooooo tender and it came off the bone the moment your fork touches it. Definitely a must have! A bit pricey though.

Service was non-existent. We ordered our food soon after arriving at 7pm and had pre booked our table. next thing we knew we were told the restaurant was closing. we had not been attended to since our mains were served. no opportunity for further plates, coffees or even a dessert or cheese menu. the food was really good but the service was a disaster. so disappointing and not sure the staff were particularly bothered.

Barrafina pulls out all the stops with their jamon and manchego cheese croquetas served with salsa tomate. A crusty exterior tears easily to reveal piping hot innards of smoky cured meat and creamy semi-melted manchego cheese in a fun loving mix of silky potato. You fight off the urge to steal your companions balls and shift your attention instead to the next plate. Pa Amb Tomaquet - crisp baguette, shaved zucchini, vine tomato, manchego cheese, extra virgin olive oil. Do a little shut-eye from quiet contention. The toasted baguette an excellent vehicle to deliver the thin ribbons of zucchini, sweet tomatoes and shaved manchengo cheese into ones mouth.

During my high school days, snacking was pretty much an extensive hobby within my cohort. Signs about “no eating in class” were pushed away as shiny chip packets rose from backpacks. You could imagine my excitement when I finally got to try out Barrafina Tapas   for its wide assortment of appetisers and finger food. The perk of tapas would be the ability to give each dish a little peck, kind of like speed dating. Yes, i just compared food to speed dating. Located in the CBD, I was expected to be seated amongst important-looking people in important-looking suits. I was just casually whipping out my DSLR whilst the table next to us discussed their stakeholders and how Bianca from level 10 makes a shit coffee. Soft Shell Crab Slider ($7 each)  There’s a lot of pressure choosing items on the menu when you’re a self proclaimed foodie. Although, there are a lot of things that sell me out - soft shell crab is one of them. Also, if you know me well enough, I’m a sucker for mini versions of anything.  The savoury crab had the satisfying crunch of a well fried crustacean, balancing well with the creamy avocado mousse and chipotle mayo. If this slider was a date, we’re off to a good start.  Seared Yellowfun Tuna, Black Sesame, Peach and Chilli Vinaigrette ($22)  I was so glad I asked for a recommended dish because not only was this dish pleasing to the eye, it was bombdigity in your mouth. The play of textures were great with the grainy sesame against the soft melt-in-your-mouth tuna. On the dating radar, this dish would be the guy that tries to be cool and manly but he’s all soft and sensitive on the inside.  Pan-seared Scallops with Chorizo and Sweet Corn Puree ($23) You know what else i’m a sucker for? Scallops. The wild chorizo was great at punching some spice in the naturally mild scallops and sweet corn puree.  Grilled Octopus ($20) This vibrant dish holds cuts of grilled octopus with mint - cucumber yoghurt, preserved lemon and chilli. The mint in the yoghurt and lemon

But for me the dish of the night was the Sardinian pasta malloreddus with spanner crab, guanciale and crispy bread – worth a try if you happen to find yourself in Freshwater.

It was therefore no surprise to see predominantly businessmen and women at the establishment, spilling out into the outdoor dining area on the street as they chatted and mingled with a glass of wine or fragrant sangria to wind down the working day. I’ve had mostly good experiences with tapas throughout my dining history. While the size of the dishes are usually somewhat lacking, they never fail in their ability to leave you speechless with an explosion of flavour and textures. I was here tonight with a few select work friends in tow to see if Barrafina would live up to this standard. The interior is sparsely furnished and moodily lit with tea candles at each table. I had one look at the menu  and immediately felt out of my depth with the large amount of Spanish ingredients on it, and so asked our waitress for some help. To cut a long story short,

Overall, we had a very enjoyable time there and the food was quite interesting and tasty. Some of the dishes were a little cold when served to us, and the service was not very prompt. However, the staff were friendly and generally the food was quite nice. This is a convenient spot in the heart of Sydney’s CBD which is great for dinner or drinks after work.

Cancel the rest of the day’s meetings and camp out for the afternoon, or show up after work for an evening. Muy bueno indeed.

These all day braised pork ribs were my absolute favourite dish of the evening. The meat was a melt-in-your-mouth-piece of goodness, falling of the bones. The sherry vinegar gave it a sweet and sour flavour which I loved.

as it reaches peak hour for lunches, the atmosphere was vibrant and noisy with colleagues from workplaces nearby gathering together for a work lunch or a casual meeting. With the atmosphere of the place and the simple yet funky decor, it feels like stepping into a cafe in Barcelona especially in the La Rambla strip.

...croquettes were a real treat; lightly crumbed on the outside and oozing with melted manchego cheese and diced jamon on the inside once you take a bite. We also got the stronger tasting Spanish blue cheese and walnut croquettes which were also quite nice, paired with beetroot puree and wild rocket.

This salad is the hero of tapas and wine bar dining. With Spanish blue, jamon and honey, a spectrum of wine possibilities come to mind, from a chardonnay with rich oak to a jammy pinot noir.

It was the third time I visited Barrafina, staff was friendly and attentive as always. Got some great recommendations from our waitress, enjoyed both the grilled octopus and the fig salad. Will definitely be back!

Excellent customer service. Well worth it. The food was excellent and after a stuff up with our order (these things happen), the manager looked after us personally. She more than made up for it. That is enough to keep us coming back!

The Service is Terrible. First time I bought a voucher, when I try to book table the staff informed me I have to email them, so I emailed them twice and waited for two days, no reply. And then I called them again there is lady answered my call and confirmed my booking straightway. (I think the lady is manager) <br/><br/>This is second time I want to have dinner at Barrafina when I make a booking and I called the restaurant twice, both time they just hang up on me before I finish talking. I told the staff that I already emailed them but no reply, because the booking is on the same day so I want to confirm on the phone, the girl working in Barrafina just says they don't have time. When I has then when can they confirm the booking, she just says she don't know and hang up on me again!<br/><br/>This is the shitest service I've ever experienced!!!!!!!!! The restaurant really needs to improve the service!

Appalling service. We celebrated a birthday here last night.<br/><br/>Food was okay but service was appalling. We had to continually chase the wait staff for our food. After 2.5 hours we asked for the bill whilst waiting for the last couple of dishes.<br/><br/>I certainly won't be back.

We used a voucher on this occassion. For $100 we were allowed to choose any 10 dishes from their menu (including the grazing boards) and a jug of sangria (we opted for red instead of white). I was dying to try the liver parfait but they ran out. We enjoyed the lamb ribs, wagyu steak, scallops with chorizo, prawns and calamari. Try give the grazing boards a miss and opt for the small and share plates.

Lovely Staff. We had a great time here at Barrafina Tapas<br/>Excellent dishes were brought out one after the other. HIghlights were the soft shell crab slider, the jamon croquetas and their version of fish fingers - spanish style - fried polenta sticks, salsa romesco + succulent white anchovies. delish! As good as my favourite dish (fish fingers) at Bodega in Surry Hills. Great Tapas<br/><br/>Staff are friendly and the fit out is very CBD chic

Unhappy Customer. Going against my better judgement I decided to give the restaurant Barrafina Tapas a second chance after a terrible experience the first time around, largely related to the arrogant and inattentive service. I should learn to listen to myself as the second time around was no better, in fact even the standard of food has dropped since my last visit. I would not anticipate going back in the near future until improvements are made. <br/><br/>Most definitely the reviews online are coming from a non reliable source or someone who in fact works at the establishment. I would suggest to Urban spoon a little more control with this place as it reflects poorly on your website.

Very disapointing service.. Really disappointed with service provided here. Will not reccommend this to any friends. Don't offer groupon deals if you canot accept an overwhelming response to them. Also, you might want to invest in a manager who will actually have the decency to face customers in regards to complaints especially if both the customer and manager are within the same vicinity. Directing employees to pass on messages back and forth is actually appalling service. Apologies for not accepting groupon vouchers may also deter customers from rating this restaurant so poorly should they not have been able to make bookings with a voucher. It was pretty much overpriced food with generic flavouring. Nothing of a wow factor.

Estrella on tap and good bar snacks = happy. Went in for the Estrella and had some tasty bar treats, soft shell crab slider was brilliant and the fish fingers where an unusual and beautiful combination of flavors and textures. will come in for dinner soon.

Good food, great flavors and service with a smile. Had a great lunch in barrafina, close to work and convenient. highlights where the tuna and hairloom tomatoes, would be back again for sure. reading on their website I've noticed a few tempting lunch deals throughout the week, will be sure to check that as well.

Bad bad bad. Bad food. We got a groupon and it looked great. The menu read well and reviews seemed fine so we gave it a go. Really bad. We tried almost everything on the menu and it was all disappointing. I feel really duped. As you may see I am pretty generous at dishing out good reviews but this was truly bad. The meals claimed to have flavours that simply weren't there, and there was a generic sauce squeezed over everything. Everything was poor. The only thing I enjoyed was some pickled mushrooms with creme fraiche and some twice-cooked potatoes. The only thing I can be happy about is that we didn't pay full price.

Unfortunately the groupon deal was enticing but the food was very disappointing. I would never go there again.

The food was average and it took over an hour for our first tapas dish to arrive, another half hour for the second one. The wait staff had to retake every single order we placed, for the first dish this happened six times. Would not recommend this place.

Food is good but service is extremely slow. Do not go if you are hungry. Be prepared to wait for half an hour for each dish.

Great little place Food is.... Great little place <br/>Food is very fresh and the menu changes a lot to keep thing interesting.<br/>The service has been amazing tonight.<br/>It's an all round great experience with good wine at an affordable price and great food.<br/>Do try this little gem

Don't go there if you're hungry!!!!!. They have this "Summer tapas" special for $10 per person between 5-7pm. First page of the menu listed about 20 or so beautiful tapas dishes. I asked how this worked and was told "we will keep bringing food to your table till 7pm", so we went with it.<br/>Guess what they delivered? (per person), dish 1 - sliver of bread, little stick of cheese, teaspoon of dip. Dish 2 - sliver of bread, slice of prosciutto, fried calamari (that was the most substantial dish), Dish 3 - sliver of bread with tiny single filet of anchovy, Dish 4 - sliver of bread with 3 very thin slices of chorizo. By that time it was 6:30 (long time between bread), the waitress arrived and said no more food and if we want anything else here is the menu. When I complained we were given a small falafel ball each (at a tapas bar???).<br/>We arrived hungry and left hungry and upset. I feel this was deceitful practice and false advertising.

Very disappointed, extremely expensive for what you get and the food wasn't even that nice.

Will go back again.. Had a business meeting here 01/04/2014.<br/>. Everyone commented on how good he food was. The tables were a bit cosy, and the seats are not very comfy for a long lunch.<br/>Some of the portions could have been a little larger for the size, or keep the sizes and reduce a little on the price.<br/>Yellow Fin Tuna was excellent.

Disappointment - level 99. Service was great, atmosphere good, location ideal - BUT the food... not so great. Ordered the Moderno Tapas Dinner for 2. <br/>7 dishes came out (to be shared)- the quality of the food was great but value for money = zero.<br/>At $50 for two people, there was finger sized portions of just about everything that arrived. The much built up Slow Roasted Lamb ribs...take a look at your small finger, now multiply that by 2 - voila..that is the 'taster' you receive as part of 'one dish shared evenly'. Either this place needs to buy more ingredients, or the menu idea needs re-evaluating. Disappointing.

Better tapas elsewhere. Came here for lunch after a recommendation. Had the soft shell crab slider. The bun was a bit stale and the filling was alright. I think I prefer soft shell crab legs only as the whole thing means you eat the guts which I'm not a fan of. We also had the scallops on corn puree with chorizo. The scallops were delicious but the chorizo a bit overcooked and hard. The lamb ribs were very fatty. We also had calamari with aioli which was nice. A bit on the pricey side for a lunch.

Amazing Sliders. Tried a couple of dishes here.<br/><br/>Loved the soft shell crab slider. It had spicy mayo, avocado, spicy crispy crab - delicious!<br/><br/>Also notable were the lamb ribs in a sweet quince and sherry reduction. They were so soft to the touch they fell off the bone. I could eat these all day.<br/><br/>and the seared tuna was also memorable. Black sesame seeds, white peach and chilli vinaigrette, olive tapenade - delectable!<br/><br/>Def worth a visit - if you can get a table!

Food was nice enough, but one scallop as a tapas dish is not good enough!!

BEST CROQUETAS. Easily the best croquetas in Sydney<br/>Jamon and manchego cheese ooze out of these bad boys.<br/>These croquetas remind me of a great tapas bar in barcelona 'Tapas,24', in that they hold their form with a delicate crust, yet ooze cheesy goodness as the first bite breaks the seal.<br/>I could eat these all day, much to the dismay of my doctor

Average food, slow service, poor value. We stumbled upon Barrafina as it was near our hotel – although it clearly catered for the business crowd due to the CBD location.<br/><br/>I’m not sure why it’s got such positive reviews. Yes, they had Estrella on tap, which isn’t<br/>something you normally find in Sydney, but the service was slow and haphazard on the Wednesday late afternoon we were there.<br/><br/>Rather than ordering a couple of tapas dishes to go with our drinks, we decided to go for the $10/person offer which supposedly included a selection of tapas as long as we were drinking. $20 would have bought us a couple of tapas from the normal menu, so we thought we’d get at least something comparable.<br/><br/>Instead, we were given an average tasting tapas dish suitable for one, but to share, even though we’d ordered two drinks. That was finished, and we were about halfway through our drinks, so we were expecting another one as we were sitting at the bar in full view of the staff.<br/><br/>Despite the tapas theme, Barrafina clearly doesn’t work like a proper Madrid cerveceria where you get one free tapas with each drink.<br/><br/>After waiting at least 15 minutes with empty glasses and plates, we were brought another single tapas dish (sized for one, but to share) and our order for another round of drinks taken.<br/><br/>Shortly afterwards we were brought another tapas for one, and we decided to get pay for the drinks and the tapas deal each and leave.<br/><br/>Whilst I can’t comment on the proper tapas menu, I certainly wouldn’t bother with Barrafina for just drinks or the $10/person tapas special.

Was looking forward to trying this place. Unfortunately we were very disappointed. Terrible value food. We tried several tapas and all were bland and lacking flavour. With places like Tapavino and Ash St just down the road this place should be avoided.

Too hot and too loud. Booked a table for friday night just in case it was busy. when i got there we had a table at the back for 9 people. the whole restaurant was stuffy and loud. we couldn't have a proper conversation, when waiting for food, because there was just too much noise. and it wouldnt hurt them to up the air con. we were all sweating and fanning ourselves with the menus. <br/>As for the food, it tastes pretty good but portions could be slightly bigger.<br/>Service is quite good but waiters need to stop giving "dirties" just because we are not ready to order yet.

Unreal. After hearing word of mouth suggestions to try Barrafina, I decided to round up a few of my close friends and organise a quiet birthday dinner here. I was more than pleased with the service the staff provided. Not only did they continue to come over to our table to make sure we were comfortable with everything, they offered suggestions with what to order, what goes well with each dish. The attentiveness from all the staff working there was incredible, their knowledge of food was outstanding, which is unlike most restaurants you visit. My table ordered mostly suggestions of meals from the staff, which were mouth watering to say the least, not to mention complimented our wine, but the lamb with eggplant and soft shell crab siders were spot on delicious.<br/>The atmosphere of the place was wonderful, the whole dining experience was fantastic, what impressed both me and my invited guests was the service. Being in Sydney it is so hard to find a good venue to dine at, in which the staff actually care about your dining experience, I found at Barrafina we were so well looked after, and the fact that the food was amazing was an added bonus. I will definitely be heading here again.

I came in with some friends on Thursday 15th. It was my first time here, I was prompted to go following numerous great reviews from both friends and colleagues. I was very impressed by the food, wine knowledge and professionalism of all the staff. Despite remaining professional, all the girls were very approachable and friendly which helped create a great atmosphere. I must mention the rabbit paella, it was really amazing. The meat was so tender and the flavours combined beautifully together. I will keep the good word flowing and will definately return!!

Service was alright - they hired a few young pretty backpackers with cute accent. Place was alright - nice location nothing fancy but inviting atmosphere. Food presentation was alright. Taste was Terrible! If that's what tapas about, Spainish food would have carried a similar reputation as British. We ordered some scollops. Just simply the most bland tasteless scollops I've ever had, ever. I can easily pick out 20 places to go to close to the city within the same price range but with real taste. Other dishes are also very forgettable, if not remembered for being how bland they were. Would definitely not go back again. Soulless place.

Very disappointing.starting with the look of the place, nice effort made on the front bar area then no effort seemed to be made in the rest if the place. The food was disappointing ad totally bland, the only slightly uplifting part I the meal was the wagyu steak but still it lacked seasoning and was too oily to do it justice. Do your self a favor an give it a miss, better off going next door to he Flynn or down to chopshop

¡¡CROQUETTAS!!. For the second time in a week I had fantastic jamón and manchego croquettas. The sticky pork ribs done PX were really good too.<br/><br/>Thoroughly enjoyed the meal

My wife and I ordered 6 tapas dishes for dinner. They irresponsibly delivered five hot tapas dishes to us within a two minute timeframe. Wtf? Don't go for dinner here.<br/><br/>Also extremely loud.

Disappointing. Service was not very friendly and food was alright. For the price there are better Tapas places in the area.

Good Food, terrible service. We went down to Barrafina for lunch. Similarly to what happened to a previous reviewer (see post from 14th Dec 2012) the waitress forgot to put our orders in the system. We realised our order had not been processed half an hour later when no food was coming. It then took 15 more minutes for our food to be served. Our meatballs were clearly rushed out of the kitchen and were raw. Also the waitress did not serve us water during the meal after we emptied our glasses.<br/><br/>Bottomline: mistakes can happen, but staff should be taught to take care of customers. The feeling we had while we were there was that most staff was idle.

Mistakes can happen! Attitude can be avoided.<br/>Four of us blokes came here during a busy lunch period, sharing 5 or so tapas selections to accompany a few beers and glasses of red wine..food was reasonably interesting. But we should have ordered more at the start...After ordering two extra dishes we waited for 20 minutes without anything arriving. We enquired with the floor manager as to the whereabouts and were told that the order had not be placed into the computer by our waitress and that no more food could be provided. The was due to fact they were going to start preps for the next function (mind you in half an hour). So we asked if we could order coffee to which we were told, you'll have to get takeaways. Given what had just happened with our order we were amazed at this response. Sure, mistakes can happen with food orders! But its how you pick yourself up is how you're best judged. Wont be going back there any time soon.

Nice fit out ... Service no.... Nice fit out ...<br/>Service not bad ... <br/>Coffee average ... Very average ...<br/>Food a bit bland but fair <br/>Reasonably priced wouldn't say that it's worth it but ok for the location ...

Average menu, no dessert menu ( at least nothing Spanish to it), sangria had no taste ... Very disappointed ... Loud place , but nice staff ...

A great addition to CBD drinking/dining. I've been to this restaurant 3 times in the last 4 weeks. The staff have always been very friendly and enthusiastic. The food is good and you get what you pay for. The nature of tapas and the variety of dishes on offer mean that you'll have no problem finding something you'll like. Personal favourites would be the ceviche, the iberico ham and the calamari. The slow-roast lamb shoulder was also excellent. The beer and wine selection is good. Potential downsides for some would be the noise level can be high, and at busy times food isn't that quick to arrive (but this is tapas-so just relax and wait). Overall, a great place to enjoy drinks and nibbles after work, or a proper lunch/dinner.

Believe the hype. I had heard that this new tapas place in the CBD was really doing tapas the way they do it in Spain and I was not disappointed.<br/><br/>Seriously good Tapas here folks.<br/><br/>The boquerones (imported from barcelona no less) were so sweet and full of flavour. A simple dressing of white wine vinegar, chilli and parsley was all they needed. <br/><br/>We had the spanish blue cheese and walnut croquetas with a beetroot creme and they were also so tasty. A little rich but oh so good. Cannot wait to try the jamon croquetas on my next visit.<br/><br/>The ceviche of snapper was equally brilliant. Very fresh and just so simple but so good. Garden mint, lime and avocado complimented the fish perfectly.<br/><br/>Beef ribs were great - messy - but great and the all day braised lamb shoulder was to die for.<br/><br/>Book in to this great place before the word gets out and you cant get in. I already have!<br/><br/>Cheers<br/><br/>George

Sensational !!

Love it!. Barrafina is a breath of fresh air amongst overpriced, overrated tapas restaurants.<br/><br/>Friendly service and tasty food, as well as their yummy sangria makes it a winner!<br/><br/>Fave menu items include the gorgeous Mexican- style ceviche, bursting with flavour, succulent slow roast lamb with eggplant dip and ratatouille, and the scallops with chorizo and corn puree. Their pinxtos are delicious and the wine list is great too.<br/><br/>Highly recommend!

The trend in tapas has rightfully developed a smoke and mirrors reputation akin to a Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme - appears to offer attractive returns but is often a fraud.Barrafina bucks the trend,reasonable prices, good well thought out food.the soft shell crab slider is particularly special.