MAKES TAPERIA

You don’t stumble upon MAKES TAPERIA by accident while wandering the Gothic Quarter looking for a postcard. You come here because you’re in Sants, a neighborhood that still feels like a neighborhood, and you’re hungry for something that hasn’t been focus-grouped by a tourism board. Located on Avinguda de Madrid, this place is a defiant middle finger to the overpriced, frozen-croquette traps lining the city center. It’s small, it’s unassuming, and it’s currently holding a 4.9 rating that would make most Michelin-starred chefs weep with envy.

Walking in, you aren't greeted by a host with a headset and a clipboard. You’re greeted by the smell of rendered pork fat and the rhythmic clatter of a busy kitchen. This is a tapas bar in Sants that understands the fundamental truth of Spanish cooking: if you have the best ingredients, you don't need to hide them under a mountain of foam or edible flowers. The space is tight, the lighting is honest, and the energy is fueled by locals who know exactly what they’re here for.

Let’s talk about the torreznos. If you haven't had Torreznos de Soria, you haven't lived. These aren't those pathetic, airy pork rinds you find in a foil bag at a gas station. These are thick, glorious slabs of pork belly, fried until the skin blisters into a golden, tectonic crust while the meat remains tender and dripping with soul. It’s a protein rush that hits you right in the lizard brain. Then there’s the ensaladilla rusa—often translated poorly but executed here with a precision that borders on the obsessive. It’s creamy, cold, and balanced, the kind of dish that separates the amateurs from the masters.

And then, the tortilla. In a city where too many omelettes are pre-cooked and left to die under a heat lamp, MAKES TAPERIA treats the tortilla de patatas with the respect it deserves. It arrives with that perfect, slightly runny center—the 'betanzos' style that coats your throat in a silken yellow embrace of egg and potato. Pair it with their croquetas, which are crisp on the outside and molten within, and you start to understand why this place is a local obsession. This is some of the best tapas Barcelona has to offer, served without the pretension of the Eixample.

The service is the kind of professional indifference that actually means they care about the food more than your ego. They’re fast, they’re efficient, and they know the menu is bulletproof. You might find yourself squeezed in next to a table of regulars arguing about the latest Barça match or a couple on a first date who realized that sharing a plate of bravas is the ultimate litmus test for compatibility. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it’s exactly where you want to be at 9:00 PM on a Tuesday.

Is MAKES TAPERIA worth the trek out to Sants-Montjuïc? If you care about the difference between a tourist experience and a real meal, then yes. It’s one of those rare spots that reminds you why we travel in the first place—not to see the same monuments everyone else sees, but to find the places where the locals are hiding the good stuff. It’s affordable, it’s visceral, and it’s one of the most authentic restaurants near Camp Nou if you’re looking to escape the stadium crowds. Just don't expect a quiet night out. Expect a riot of flavor and a very legitimate food coma.