The Ranch Smokehouse
Best American BBQ in Barcelona
Smoked BBQ Meats
In the heart of Barcelona, just off Plaza Catalunya, is where you’ll find The Ranch Smokehouse. An unassuming looking restaurant that looks like it could be part of a chain. However, this family run establishment is, in fact, home to some of the most authentic and best American smoked BBQ meats in Barcelona.
Barbeque Experts
The two brothers of the family have been to America multiple times to learn and hone their skills as BBQ chefs. That’s where they first acquired the services of BBQ expert Andy Allen, who came over to Barcelona to assist and advise on cooking procedures and recipes. It really is a family affair, with Mum and Dad of this Barcelona family also helping run the front of house.
Perfect for Families
I’ve been lucky enough to come to this restaurant twice. The most recent was when my family came to visit.
Sometimes it can be difficult to find somewhere that caters to everyone. What do you do with a child who doesn’t fancy another paella or tapas restaurant, but you still want the quality, and knowledge that everything is homemade, including all the sauces? The Ranch Smokehouse is perfect for that. Plus, you get free re-fills on soft drinks!
Great for Groups too
Due to the space and layout of the restaurant, it’s great for large groups as well, with some big tables. So, great for a birthday or any other celebration.
We were there for an 11-year old’s birthday actually. The food was a hit with her and the staff brought her cake out with a fountain candle on top. You know those candles that look like a firework about to go off?
“biggest burger in Barcelona”
The Massive king Ranch Burger
It’s not just amazing meats like the Brisket (Fridays only until it sells out), ribs and smoked chicken. They also do some of the best burgers you’re likely to find in Barcelona. Juicy, succulent different combinations. One of those being the King Ranch, which is possibly the biggest burger in Barcelona. If I listed everything in the burger we’d be here all day, but as well as two 200g Black Angus beef burgers, it includes ingredients of the likes of pulled pork, bacon, cheese, onion rings and more.
19 different Burgers
There are so many different burgers to choose from, 19 in total. Double burgers, triple burgers. Burgers with 12 hour slow cooked pulled pork. Spicy burgers, burgers with caramelized onions in Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce, and glazed doughnut chicken burgers. The list goes on, yet it’s the quality and care that goes into them that make them so good. As an extra you can get a cheese bath. A cup of melted cheddar cheese to pour all over your burger.
What did we have? Incredible Starters
Now I’m going to run you through a few of the dishes we had on my last visit. Sticky smoked BBQ chicken wings and fried mac ‘n’ cheese were two the items featured in The Ranch Combo. To add a bit of a local feel to this all American restaurant, it also includes the very Spanish croquettes, with a delicious smoked short rib filling. The final item being the South American favourite Arepas. A type of corn pancake with guacamole, pulled pork and pico de gallo. What a fantastic start.
Almost the best nachos in Barcelona?
With ten tempting starters to choose from, and being five of us, we couldn’t settle on just the one. So, we opted for the BBQ Chilli nachos. Homemade of course, and you can really tell from the appearance, flavour and crispness. If it wasn’t for the nachos at La Cocina de Graciela, a little Mexican restaurant in the Sants neighbourhood, I’d say these were the best nachos in Barcelona. However, they are a very close second.
Meat Combos - The Best Way to Go
As you might expect in a BBQ restaurant, there are great steaks on the menu. Like the 60 days dry aged ribeye. But on this last occasion we opted for the meat combinations. Choose one, two or three of the specialty meats and combine it with two of the side dishes, which include mac ‘n’ cheese, fries, coleslaw and the incredibly tasty homemade BBQ baked beans.
Selection of the Best BBQ Meats in Barcelona
Slow cooked 12 hour pulled pork or 5 hour smoked pork ribs. The best thing about the combos is getting to try a selection of those perfectly barbequed meats. As mentioned above, the brisket is done once a month, and it’s a show stopper. Other meats included are the smoked chicken, and one of my favourites, the chorizo criolla sausage. I combined the latter with ribs, fries and the mac ‘n’ cheese.
Sweet tooth time
Was there any room for something sweet? After those starters and all that meat, not really. But, we had a birthday to celebrate. Desserts are made inhouse and you have freshly baked cakes in a display on the bar. Between us we shared a red velvet and a carrot cake, which actually exceeded my expectations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Ranch Smokehouse is such a good option for so many different reasons. For celebrating a birthday. You need somewhere to satisfy the whole family. If you’re in a big group. Perhaps you want a break from tapas. Or, you simply want to experience the best American BBQ in Barcelona, and taste the most flavoursome, smoked, slow cooked meats.
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See my full list of the other best steak & meat restaurants in Barcelona here.