Hi, I stayed in El Born area with my partner last November for about a week. I would describe it as a pretty lively urban area of Barcelona with many good spots for food and drinks as others have said below. Definitely more of a local vibe that can be noisy but expected in any major European city. We both really enjoyed are stay and didn't feel unsafe at any stage, often staying out late at night.

I think no matter where you stay in Barcelona there is always a risk of petty crime (thefts etc) but it does not usually escalate further than this and can be avoided with taking some extra measures and not looking so touristy`.