2.5 years living in Barcelona

In two and a half years of living here, I've eaten a lot of bad tapas so you don't have to. This guide is everything I've learned along the way: the bars locals actually go to, the places that give you real value for your money instead of charging tourist prices for frozen patatas bravas, and how to spot the traps and scams before you fall for them (and trust me, I fell for a few myself early on).

No recycled "top 10" lists. Just what I've actually found worth going back to, and what to steer clear of.