I was going to call this post "Barcelona's Best Tapas Bars" but then I realized that it would be almost impossible to eat my way through all the different places throughout the city and crown a few as the best. Instead, this is a list of our personal favorites, places we've actually been to, not just a rehash of recommendations from a guide book. Let's get to it!

Bar Celta Pulperia - Carrer de la Princesa, 50

As its name suggests, this lively tapas bar specializes in pulpo, or octopus. There are various octopus and squid dishes, but the star is the pulpo a la gallega, a traditional dish from the Galician region of Spain where the octopus is boiled and served with olive oil, paprika and coarse salt. Even though it's not a Catalonian dish, you'll see this dish all over Barcelona and we think Celta does it best. We think they have some of the best patatas bravas around, thanks to their perfectly spicy bravas sauce and thankfully no mayonnaise in sight. They have a couple of branches, but we prefer the one in El Born on Carrer de la Princesa.

Bormouth - Plaça Comercial, 1

Another popular hangout in El Born, this place gets busy at night, and rightfully so. The atmosphere is hip and lively, but service remains friendly and the food is good! We ordered a few tapas, all delicious, and our favorite was the fried eggplant with honey. As you may have guessed, vermouth is a specialty here, and it's fantastic.

La Paradeta - Carrer Comercial, 7

If you like fresh seafood, look no further. There are people waiting outside before this place even opens, but the line moves quickly thanks to their efficient ordering system. A variety of seafood sits on ice, market style, on the front counter and you select what you want. It's then grilled, fried or steamed to your liking, and served family style. You'll find razor clams, mussels, squid, octopus, shrimp, and a variety of fish. Not sure what to order? Get a little bit of everything! Our favorite was the grilled jumbo shrimp.

Pudding - Carrer de Pau Claris, 90

The food here is probably great, but I'm going to be completely honest and say I go for the cake. If you know me, you know that I am a chocolate cake gal, but I always get the cheesecake here because it's life changing. I also love the whimsical red and white striped interior, which feels like an Alice in Wonderland tea party. For a fun date night, skip the bars and come indulge in some sweets with your sweet.

La Plata - Carrer de la Mercè, 28

This teeny, tiny bar in El Gotico is big on charm and good times. With only a handful of small tables and seats at the bar, there's always a crowd but it doesn't feel claustrophobic thanks to the wide open doors. They only serve three things to eat: sausage, bread with tomato & olive oil, and our personal favorite, pescadito frito (small fried fish). You'll be able to eat and drink with the change in your pocket: the house wine flowing from barrels is served in shot glasses and is only 1 euro!

Alsur Cafe - Plaça de Sant Cugat, 1

The menu here screams brunch, but the food is excellent all around, any time of day. Been good all week? Treat yourself to the brilliant grilled cheese waffle sandwich. It's a great place to read or get some work done; there's plenty of comfy seating and free wifi. The one in El Born has a large boho chic interior with beautiful wood tables, patterned chairs and lots of colorful cushions. Other branches around town have slightly varied menus: the Lluria one offers a vegetarian sweet potato egg benedict and oreo waffles!

Bar Ramon - Carrer del Comte Borrell, 81

This fun restaurant in the Poble Sec neighborhood plays classic American R&B tunes and has a cool interior to match, along with some of the best tapas we've had anywhere. The staff was friendly and accommodating when we made a reservation over the phone in our limited espanol. It's best to come here with a few people because you will want to try all the tapas. Our favorites are the gambas ajillo (shrimp with garlic and parsley), chipirones andaluza (fried baby squid), filete con tosta foie (a succulent piece of beef topped with foie on toasted bread), berenjena con queso (half an eggplant stuffed with meat and cheese), mini hamberguesas (juicy little beef sliders, no bun) and the pulpo (grilled octopus).

Idea Bar - Carrer de Sant Domènec del Call, 8

This is a bar bar, and not a restaurant, in the narrow streets of the Call (old Jewish quarter) part of El Gotico with live music EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. The music alone is worth going for (hello Cuban night!) but they also have a very small, yet excellent, offering of tapas. They go above and beyond basic bar food with some tasty and vegetarian friendly options. The patatas bravas, seasoned and baked in a small oven behind the bar, are -dare I say- the best in town.

Rangoli - Passeig de Joan de Borbó, 78

If you like Indian food, you may just cry tears of joy here. We were introduced to Rangoli by friends and when we asked them what they recommended, they said it doesn't matter, everything is amazing. They were right. Dal makhani: one of the best I've ever had. Butter chicken: get in my belly. I could go on and on. We left very full and very happy.

Taverna El Glop - Carrer de Sant Lluís, 24

Opened in 1978, this restaurant definitely has a a traditional, run for generations feel. It's a great spot to get your paella fix- please skip the tourist traps along La Rambla! It's also a terrific place to try some Catalan dishes (which paella is not). You'll find locals and tourists alike packing in for a very satisfying lunch in the nostalgic, checkered table cloth dining room. We tried the one in Gracia, but they have other locations as well.

Cuidad Condal - Rambla de Catalunya, 18

This is one of the best tapas restaurants in Barcelona, and the wait here to get a table is probably one of the longest in the city. Unless you feel like spending an hour waiting for a table, I don't recommend going with a group; if you're only two people then there's a good chance you can grab seats along the bar. The food is to die for, with plenty of seafood, like the delectable razor clams. No wonder they are always so busy!

Grasshopper Ramen - Plaça de la Llana, 9

If you're craving quality ramen, head to this noodle heaven. The enourmous bowls are probably big enough for two people, but who wants to share when it's this tasty? I had the vegeatarian ramen, and the broth was one of the best I've had anywhere.

Timesberg - Carrer de París, 95

There are a lot of burger joints, or hambergueserias, in Barcelona and this is one of our favorites. The ingredients are high quality and there's a lot to choose from. The kobe burger and the goat cheese burger (one of the best sellers) were both delicious, messy perfection. The fries were also some of the best I've ever had (and I know my fries!).