An authentic Mexican food experience in Europe: Restaurant Jiribilla (22. February 2026)
I am always very curious when a restaurant offers Mexican food outside of Mexico because – unfortunately – it’s very often not authentic, so, I didn’t have any expectations. I was welcomed in a friendly manner and seated swiftly – the waiter was a young and jovial guy who explained the concept to me. So, obviously, I went for the “Menu Selection” (EUR 85.00), which started with a comprehensive explanation of the different chiles you would have to try. Heads up – I found none of them very hot, but all of them were super aromatic.
The first bite of the day was an “infladita corn tortilla with brown crab (corn tortilla filled with corn cream and crab)”, which was simple, but rich. The infladita wasn’t entirely easy to eat, as it would fall apart – obviously – once you’ve taken a bite. But it was superbly enjoyable.
The second bite was a “Balfego Tartlet (marinated tuna, avocado cream, and crispy leeks)” and while it looked nice, it tasted even better. The tuna was light, but fatty and had a great flavor profile. I enjoyed the relatively smooth chili and its fruitiness – definitely a dish I would have again.
When he explained the dish to me, I was like “uff” as I’m not the absolute biggest fan of mussels, but I must admit that the “mussels in cherry and mixed marinade (with prepared thin toasts)” were actually exquisite! And believe me, it doesn’t happen often that I find mussels exquisite! But these were! The texture was perfect – also in combination with the cracker, which would provide that extra level of crunchiness.
Looks boring, right? Well, that’s what I thought, at least. Turns out, it’s not boring at all. The “green beans and eggs (green beans with egg cream and almonds)” – especially due to the crunch the almonds would provide – was actually a perfect combination of flavors and textures. In addition to the almonds, the egg cream was lovely too.
One of my favorites of the day was the “Soft Shell Crab Taco (with avocado and chintextle sauce of crabs from Delta)”. Not only because it was absolutely delicious, but also because they basically fried a whole crab a few times so it would be palatable. And it was! I mean, I had fried crab before, and I had tacos with crab meat before, but a fried crab in a taco, you ask? Well, that actually works surprisingly well, and was lovely from a flavor perspective.
Lentils – my arch nemesis (regarding gout)! The “lentils with Recado Marino (stew lentils cooked with carabiñero and prawns)” turned out to be quite tasty too. I mean, the almost raw prawn was great, and so was sucking out its head. The lentil stew was actually enjoyable, but – I must admit – I was also glad it wasn’t more.
Then, it was time for the “Zarandeado with catch of the day (charcoal with morita chili butter, beans and tortillas)”. I was wondering if it was easy to eat a piece of fish (without it being cut into smaller pieces) on a taco. And while I had a bit of a struggle imagining that, it turned out to work pretty well.
The main course I had picked was the “veal tongue with our own mole and peppers (veal tongue with mole sauce, pil-pil red pepper and tortillas)” and after pulling it apart and making sure that it would be easy to load onto a taco …
… and add some “pil pil peppers”, it became a great way to build your own taco, which turned out to be rather lovely from a flavor perspective, and closely felt like authentic Mexican cuisine.
Given I wanted to keep enjoying the food, I ordered an additional course and went for the “Poc Chuc of Iberian Pork collar (grilled pork with puff potatoes and pickled onions and tortillas)” (EUR 24.00), which was – again – served with tacos and would pair perfectly. The meat was amazingly tasty. Cooked, but not overdone, full of flavor! Like, it was delicious! And so were the fries – so light and yet so fatty and unhealthy.
Finally, I was almost talked into taking the dessert (of the menu), and got the “flan with cajeta” and well, yes, it was sweet, but I ate it all in a few seconds since it was not only sweet but also very enjoyable.
As initially mentioned, the staff is superbly friendly and attentive and made sure I had everything throughout the lunch – at all times. So, definitely a big kudos to the guy!
When you enter you see the bar (see above), which looks nice, but you also see that round pink table (see below), which really doesn’t add to the experience.
However, once you’re brought into the part in the back and get a table where you have a direct sight of the kitchen, which is always nice. I suppose you could also sit at the bar and watch them more closely, but, frankly, not too big a fan of bar chairs since they become uncomfortable after a while.
In summary, the Jiribilla is actually a very authentic Mexican restaurant and offers great food – definitely worth visiting when you’re in Barcelona. And, make sure to book in advance!
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Jiribilla
Carrer del Comte Borrell 85
Eixample
08015 Barcelona (E)
Tel.: +34 938 56 31 80
E-Mail: sala@jiribillabcn.com
Homepage: https://www.jiribillabcn.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
