La Llotja LandmarkHarbour-front Seafood$$$La Llotja, by the harbour
"Palma's harbour-front fish house facing the 15th-century Llotja — book a terrace table for the salt-crust sea bass at sunset."
8Food
9Ambience
8Value
About Caballito de Mar
The terrace looks straight onto Sa Llotja, the Gothic maritime exchange Guillem Sagrera built between 1420 and 1452, and the harbour beyond it. Caballito de Mar sits at Passeig de Sagrera 5, on the corner of the Plaça de la Llotja, a few minutes from the cathedral. The kitchen does Mediterranean fish and rice in one room: lubina a la sal, sea bass baked whole in a salt crust, and arroz de bogavante, the soupy lobster rice, are the dishes it is known for. Reckon on 22 to 90 euros a head depending on whether you take rice or the day's whole fish.
The Kitchen
This is a harbour institution rather than a chef's showcase, and it leans honestly on the catch instead of a celebrity name. The grill and the rice pans carry the menu. The order is lubina a la sal, a whole sea bass packed in coarse salt and cracked open at the table, the salt holding in every bit of moisture, or the arroz de bogavante, lobster rice cooked loose and intense in a wide pan. The carabinero rice, built on the scarlet deep-water prawn, is the upgrade when it is on.
Around them sit the Mediterranean classics: clams, grilled padrón peppers, fried fish, and whatever came off the boat that morning at market price. A meal runs from about 22 euros for rice up toward 90 for two on whole fish and shellfish. Caballito de Mar faces the 15th-century Sa Llotja at Passeig de Sagrera 5 in the La Llotja quarter, the old sailors' district, and it recently reopened after a full refit. You come for salt-crust fish and a harbour table, and on both the kitchen holds up.
The Room
The position is the point. Tables spill onto the Passeig de Sagrera with the Sa Llotja gardens and the harbour in front, masts and yachts gliding past at dusk. Sound is open-air and easy outside, busier in the dining room behind; lighting drops to warm and low as the sun sets over the water; terrace tables are generously set and angled at the view, with a calmer interior for cooler nights. Dress is smart-casual, resort rather than formal. Ask for a front terrace table and time it for sunset.
Best for a Sunset First Date or Harbour Dinner
Book a front terrace table for a sunset first date or an easy harbour dinner, because three things carry the evening: the view over the Sa Llotja and the masts is among the best in Palma, the salt-crust fish is built to share and linger over, and the open-air setting keeps things relaxed. It suits a date or visiting guests better than a formal business close. See the full Palma dining guide, our picks for a Palma first date, and where the city works for solo diners.
Not for
Not for a tight budget or a quiet tasting-menu night. Whole fish and shellfish are priced by weight at market rates, and the front terrace is busy and open to the harbour promenade.
Frequently Asked
Is Caballito de Mar worth it?
Yes, for the harbour position and the salt-crust fish. The cooking is straightforward Mediterranean seafood and rice rather than fine dining, but the terrace facing the Sa Llotja is one of the best sunset tables in Palma. Order the lubina a la sal or the lobster rice and take a front terrace seat. At 22 to 90 euros a head it is fair for the setting, though whole fish by weight adds up. See the Palma dining guide.
What should I order at Caballito de Mar?
Order the lubina a la sal, whole sea bass baked in a salt crust and opened at the table, or the arroz de bogavante, the lobster rice. Start with clams and grilled padrón peppers, and ask what came off the boat that morning. The carabinero prawn rice is the upgrade when available. A meal runs from about 22 euros for rice toward 90 for whole fish and shellfish for two.
How much does Caballito de Mar cost?
Expect roughly 22 to 90 euros a head. Rice dishes and tapas sit at the lower end, while whole fish and shellfish are priced by weight at market rates and push the bill higher. It is a mid-to-upper harbour-front spot rather than a budget one. For a wider price range across the city, see the Palma dining guide.
Is Caballito de Mar good for a first date?
Yes, especially at sunset. The front terrace faces the Sa Llotja and the harbour, the salt-crust fish is made to share, and the open-air setting keeps a first meeting relaxed. Book a terrace table and time it for the light dropping over the water. For more romantic rooms in town, see where Palma works for a first date.
How do I get a terrace table at Caballito de Mar?
Book ahead and ask specifically for a front terrace table on the Passeig de Sagrera, then time the reservation for sunset. The harbour-facing seats go first in summer, so reserve a few days out by phone or through the restaurant's site. The address is Passeig de Sagrera 5 in the La Llotja quarter; see the Palma dining guide for nearby options.
Phone and online booking · ask for a front terrace table
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A salt-crust fish cracked at the table, a wide pan of lobster rice and a terrace over the old exchange: Caballito de Mar trades on the catch and the view. See how we judge what makes a restaurant worth your evening.
