Had a romantic dinner on a November Saturday night at Barroco.
Had no problem getting a reservation 3 days prior for a 7pm sitting (they also have a later sitting). They did however let us know at that time that :
a) we had to be out of there at 9h30 the latest and
b) that they would call us back to confirm on the said Saturday.
The restaurant is small (seats about 50) and they want to maximize their revenues given they can pack both sittings on this night.
The decor is warm and inviting with stone walls and a fireplace. The tables however are small and packed close together. The chairs are simple wood and very uncomfortable after a while. Ask for a booth table if you are 4 or more when reserving. This all makes for a noisy environment.
The service was nice but not very knowledgeable about the menu. The wait staff all wore jeans.
We had oysters and a cheese plate as appetizers that were all delicious. Tried the duck egg and scallop/morcilla entrees that were equally delicious.
The short beef ribs were good and plentiful but unremarkable. I had the meat market plate that was baby pork ribs on that particular night. This dish came with 2 tiny ribs on which the edible meat was the size of a quarter, a large scallop, some lentils and piece of leek. This dish was seriously overpriced at 39$. Taste was good but nothing special.
Aside from the two market plates the other dishes do not come with any sides. If you want any, it's extra (8$ to 12$) each.
The wine by the glass list is limited to 3 reds and 3 whites. I tried all 3 reds before selecting one and they ranged from awful to mediocre. Prices are also high compared to similar or better restaurants.
The pace of the service was very good except that we received our main plates at 9h15. It was somewhat irritating to feel rushed by looking at the folks who came at 9h25 for their table and were waiting less than 3 feet away (it's a small place remember). Hence we didn't have any dessert or coffee.
All in all a satisfactory meal in a nice decor. There are better places for the price in this city.