La Catalana - San Jose (CA)

5 /5 Noah: We came here for dinner and has a lovely time. Atmosphere was cozy and friendly, and the service was good and responsive. We had the potatoes bravas and the olive oil tomato toast as appetizers, and the potatoes bravas were the star of the show. We had the seafood rice as a main course and it was flavorful and rich. Reasonable selection of wine and beer. For two people with appetizers, main, and 1 drink each, it came out to $150 with tax and tip. For a nice date night out, this is a great choice.

5 /5 Benjamin Y.: First time here and for my birthday. What can I say but WOW! Had three appetizers, mushrooms, croquettes and tarta de chorizo. All with excellent unique flavors. We ordered as our main, their seafood paella. Also excellent and unique in its preparation. We had all three of their desserts, flan, pumpkin cheesecake and a flavorful honey goat cheese dessert. Sounds different but it was excellent as well. Great selection of Spanish wines. Great wait staff especially Roy. Portions are good size. Prices are reasonable. Parking can be tight when this place is busy. Overall an excellent place I will return to. A hidden gem. And definitely great place for a birthday.

5 /5 Alan Yee: I think what really shines about La Catalana is how welcome the staff makes you feel. Ive been here for my dads birthday and my parents anniversary and both times, the waitstaffs hospitality could easily rival that of any michelin star restaurant, but without the pretentiousness. Every interaction is clearly from a genuine motivation to make sure every guest has an enjoyable experience. Roy and Josh were both excellent servers! Aside from the service, La Catalana has the best curated Spanish wine selection Ive seen in the SF Bay Area. The owner makes a yearly trip to Spain and directly sources wine from some of the best producers of the region. The food is also great and clearly shows a dedication to preserve the original cultural dishes, but elevate them in a modern way. Needless to say, I will be back many times in the future!

5 /5 Brandon Calzada: We’ve been trying different places for a while looking for good pulpo, and Catalana completely blew us away. Their pulpo was honestly the best I’ve ever had—super tender, great flavor, just perfectly cooked. You can tell they know what they’re doing. The owner was also really sweet and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. If you’re a fan of octopus, seriously, come here. This is the spot.

4 /5 Kyung: Food was very good. Not spicy or overly salted. My favorite has to be the shrimp and paella. It is slower paced so a great place to catch and take your time. Live music was nice and I appreciated it was not overly loud.