Ultramarinos Marín

The story

Ultramarinos Marín: Barcelona's Bar-Asador with Michelin Recommended Charm

Two Spaces, One Spirit

At Ultramarinos Marín, the experience unfolds across two distinct rooms. The front bar, inherited from previous owners, preserves a 1970s energy—bustling, loud with chatter and shouts from the staff. A long counter seats twelve diners facing the plancha (hot plate), putting the action front and center. Five four-person tables offer space to share. Deeper inside, the asador (grill house) reveals the soul of the place: iron beams, warm wood, and a calmer setting for a more leisurely meal. Here, everything is cooked over oak, holm oak, or olive wood, using a wood-fired oven, a cuina econòmica (slow-cook stove), a smoker, and grills that treat each ingredient with the right fire.

House-Made Everything

The team at Ultramarinos Marín does nearly everything from scratch. Charcuterie, cured meats, salt-cured fish, terrines, sausages, pickles, smoked goods—all arrive raw and are transformed in their own workshop. A standout is their obsession with garums (fermented fish sauces), a craft they’ve honed for over a decade. They now have more than 100 different recipes using garums made from mackerel, red mullet, porcini mushrooms, beef, Ibérico pork, and more.

The menu is divided into four sections: Vitrina (display case) for escabeches, pickles, sauces, and all i oli; Planxa for fresh griddled seafood and meats; De La Marín for their own charcuterie, cured, and salt-cured products; and Asador for everything roasted or grilled over fire. It’s a farm-to-table approach, though the restaurant’s own words describe it as “tot fet a casa”—everything made in-house.

Michelin Recognized

This dedication to craft and quality earned Ultramarinos Marín a Michelin Recommended distinction, a nod to its honest, ingredient-driven cooking and the vibrant atmosphere that makes it a Barcelona favorite. The bar-asador concept, with its two contrasting moods, lets guests choose between a lively counter experience or a quieter evening by the fire, all while enjoying small plates, wine, and the unmistakable taste of food made with care and fire.