That’s a difficult question to answer.
My favorite Retiro watering hole (and Madrid’s #1 Barra for several years running, according to Maribona’s list), no longer accepts reservations for one diner (annoying but that’s the reservation booking engine’s fault), and the twitter world is filled with complaints about restaurants no longer taking reservations for one. It’s become almost the norm here with online bookings at the very popular spots.
And as many Madrid and Barcelona restaurants do, they now charge a cancellation fee for “no shows”. The fine print:
“This fee will only be charged if you cancel totally or partially less than 12 h in advance.”
Luckily the owner is my very good friend of many years, and as a singleton, I can walk in early, meaning before 1:30 for lunch or right at 8 for dinner and grab a highly coveted place at the bar. But during the Christmas rush I did just this for lunch, but by 1:45 there were no longer spots at the bar.
If you’re going to Ultramarinos Quintín for dinner, I would be at the door before 7:30 when they open without a rezzie.
Or…what I would do in your case is have the concierge of the Majestic call ahead and ask if a booking for one would be accepted. Perhaps if the Majestic calls for you, they can get around the “no bookings for a single diner” issue.
Aargh,
Too late to edit, erica! I meant Ultramarinos MARÍN (not Quintín, a member of the El Paraguas group here on Jorge Juan).
I would still ask the Majestic to make that call for you for that reservation for one.
As to my situation, sometimes as a single diner here in Spain, I hate to take up a table for 2 (revenue issue for the restaurant) if I can snag a counter seat at the bar, but you may want to have a “sure thing” and not to have to fret about an early time of arrival.
Maribel, do you think I can wait until I get there and make t he bookings for two days from the date the hotel calls? This would be for Saturday lunch.
I thought about having the back-up restaurant but then I’d have to cancel THAT at the last minute, if I snagged the counter seat at UM!! I thought Lluritu could be the back up…maybe I could get in there for lunch when they open, on a Saturday..if I can’t get that single seat at MARIN..
That’s the day I have the opera at 6:30pm..
I have a lunch table booked for that day at COMARTIR but am thinking about canceling that to try for MARiN.
I will wait until their book opens for my dates and then write to the Majestic..
I’m sorry to bother you with all this…really. I’m usually pretty happy wherever I end up so don’t want to stress out about this, like I often do…
And then i will have one night in Jerez, and almost THREE weeks in Vejer!
Have you tried calling the restaurant yourself? I am almost always traveling by myself, and I do understand the finances of a restaurant giving up a precious table for two for one person, disappointing as this can be for an enthusiastic traveler and diner!
I have to say, though, that I have absolutely no compassion or understanding for restaurants that have bar seating and are popular (or unpopular for that matter). I mean, come on! Makes absolutely no sense that they would seat a party of three at the bar (or for that matter at a table for four) and not a single diner. Math does not support this business decision.
I know that when I am dining alone I turn over the seat quicker than others do, and I’m definitely a better tipper than most (though to be fair they don’t know this when they take my reservation). I do try to call, but if they simply will not accommodate a single diner, I no longer try to go to those restaurants. I end up feeling unwelcome no matter what they serve, if they don’t want me! And, it’s not a feeling I enjoy at all.
With few exceptions, restaurants in Barcelona have been extremely welcoming of me on my own. I love dining solo and I love Barcelona. I would not waste my time on Ultramarinos MARÍN; there are too many wonderful places that will welcome you on your own and treat you like a welcome guest. Just my two cents.
@erica1,
The reason I suggested having the Majestic call rather than calling yourself (and dealing with the time difference) is the the concierge staff may have more clout and may simply be able to talk them into making an exception.
On the other hand, as ninkat says, there are so many new and exciting restaurants in the city, that you as a single diner have options booking ahead for bar seating.
Compartir is really highly rated, the sibling of the original in Cadaqués, launched by the El Bulli alums.
But there are others offering bookings for one: Maleducat or Direkte in its new location. The latter only opens for lunch on Saturdays. The rest of the week it’s dinner only.
Besta also has booking for one person at its Chef’s Table, but it’s a seating at 1 pm only and tasting menu only for 95 euros.
The tasting menu at Besta is fantastic, in my opinion, and is really all they serve. But I just tried booking for 1 in their “sala” on a random Saturday and had the option of all of the lunch times: I clicked on 1:45 for a try and would have no problem booking as a solo diner. The chef’s table is a new thing since I was there last, but there is no problem eating in the main dining room solo! As you say, however, it is a choice of shorter or longer tasting menu, but it has also always been thus!
I think their newer restaurant, Batea, is a la carte (and fish focused), but I have not eaten there, and I am not sure when reservations open exactly. The problem there is figuring that out as reservations seem to go very quickly!
Thanks for your input, both of you! I’m not going to worry about getting into Marin. I will book for two people when the site allows booking, and when I get there, I’ll ask the hotel to call them and amend the number of people. It’s really annoying not to be able to book for one; I know that happens a lot, in many cities, but this is the first time I’ve encountered this. But I’ll be fine if I don’t get in there..who knows, by the time I get to the city there might be even more new restaurants to consider! In any case, I will keep you posted…
I originally wanted to have a calcotada lunch, and I found a restaurant near the hotel that gets decent reviews (Bodega Joan; it gets mixed reviews but the people who complain are mostly the people who order paella) but I think I’ll pass on the idea on this trip. I like the calcots and the Romesco, but the meats are never going to “wow” me…and given all the other places I want to try, I don’t think I should “waste” a meal on the, especially since I will be eating alone..
I’m looking into a trip in May, with my partner, to the Costa Brava. If that works out, I might be back in Barcelona for a night or two, on the way to Begur.
Just so that you know the stipulations when booking on The Fork, the booking platform that Ultramarinos Marín uses:
" * In case the restaurant uses Pre-authorization, it can place a temporary hold for the below specified amount, which will either be released or converted into a charge.
Any card validation, temporary hold, or subsequent charge is processed by Stripe.
At the time of reservation, you authorize the restaurant to send instructions through TheFork to your card issuer to (i) validate your card details for reservation purposes (Imprint) or (ii) to place a temporary hold on a specified amount (Pre-authorization) in order to take payments in specific circumstances (no-show or late cancellation after the permitted cancellation window).
Your card will not be charged at the time of the reservation.
You may cancel or change your reservation (subject to availability) at no cost up to 6 hours before the time of your reservation. If you cancel or make changes after the 6-hours deadline, or are a no-show, the restaurant may charge your card €80.00.
Maribel, thanks!! I booked at MARIN for two, and will ask the hotel to phone them several days in advance of my reservation, to see if I can come alone.
I just learned about a new restaurant that sounds interesting, in the Raval. It’s part of the Majestic Group: ARRAVAL…
