30 casual dining worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Spain guides.
La Cuchara de San Telmo ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999 by El Bulli and Lasarte-trained chefs, cooks made-to-order modern pintxos.
Tip: Queue before 13:00 or after 21:00; the bar is four-deep at peak. No reservations.
Ganbara ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town has run the Martinez-Ortuzar family kitchen since 1984, anchored by an autumn mushroom counter.
Tip: Counter walk-in, basement takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
El Rinconcillo ★ 4.8 · Seville
centro · Calle Gerona 40, 41003 Sevilla
El Rinconcillo on Calle Gerona in Seville is the city's oldest tapas bar, open since 1670, with the cuenta still chalked on the wooden bar top.
Tip: Open daily 13:00-01:30. Squeeze into the standing bar in the front; the dining room behind is the reservation room.
La Brunilda ★ 4.8 · Seville
el-arenal · 5 Calle Galera, El Arenal, 41001 Sevilla
La Brunilda on Calle Galera in Seville's El Arenal is the modern-tapas room with risottos, rices and Mediterranean small plates that locals queue.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 13:00-16:00 and 20:30-23:30. Reservations by phone only; queue from 19:30 for a bar seat without booking.
Borda Berri ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 12, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos off a tight blackboard menu, no counter display, the Idiazabal-cheese risotto.
Tip: Walk in only, closed Sundays. Stand outside if the bar is full; orders come out fast.
Bar Casa Ruperto ★ 4.7 · Seville
triana · Avenida Santa Cecilia 2, 41010 Sevilla
Bar Casa Ruperto on Avenida Santa Cecilia in Seville's Triana is the city's canonical fried-quail counter since 1970, with marinated codornices fried.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 11:30-16:00 and 19:30-24:00, closed Monday. The standing bar is the local way.
La Tasqueria de Javi Estevez ★ 4.6 · Madrid
chamberi · Calle de Modesto Lafuente 6, 28010 Madrid
La Tasqueria de Javi Estevez moved from Salamanca to Chamberi in 2024, keeping the 1-star Michelin and the brief that elevates casqueria (offal).
Tip: Book three weeks ahead for the seven-seat counter; the dining room books one week. Closed Sun-Mon.
Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 5, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies since 1972 by a guarded family recipe, served on toasted baguette with a dozen toppings.
Tip: Counter standing only. The blackboard lists 12 toppings; shout your order.
Antonio Bar ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
centro · Bergara Kalea 3, 20005 Donostia-San Sebastian
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro is the locals' tortilla room, with a deep-caramelised 28-egg tortilla and the canonical double-anchovy.
Tip: Tortilla finishes by 14:30 most days. Counter is small and stand-only.
Casa Cuesta ★ 4.6 · Seville
triana · Calle Castilla 1, 41010 Sevilla
Casa Cuesta on Calle Castilla in Seville's Triana has cooked menudo (offal stew) since 1880, a tile-and-bullfighting-poster taberna at the foot of the Triana.
Tip: Open daily 12:00-16:30 and 19:30-24:00. Lunch on Sunday from 14:00 is the local main event; book the back room a week ahead.
Casa Morales ★ 4.6 · Seville
el-arenal · Calle Garcia de Vinuesa 11, 41001 Sevilla
Casa Morales on Calle Garcia de Vinuesa in Seville's El Arenal is the bodega since 1850 with vermut pulled from giant wood casks and a cured-meat counter.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 12:00-16:00 and 20:00-24:00, closed Sunday Walk-ins usually OK.
Casa Rufo ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
abando · Calle Hurtado de Amezaga 5, 48008 Bilbao
Casa Rufo on Hurtado de Amezaga in Bilbao since 1955 grills the canonical Bilbao txuleta over open flame, between deli counter and dining room.
Tip: Lunch 13:30-16:00, dinner 20:30-23:00; closed Sundays. The deli counter is worth a look.
Bar El Globo ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
abando · Calle Diputacion 8, 48008 Bilbao
Bar El Globo on Calle Diputacion in Bilbao since 1997 anchors the Indautxu pintxo crawl with the canonical txangurro (spider crab) gratin counter.
Tip: The newer Plaza Nueva location keeps later hours; the original Diputacion bar is the bigger room.
Bodegas Castaneda ★ 4.5 · Granada
centro-sagrario · Calle Almireceros 1, 18010 Granada
Bodegas Castaneda in Granada is the 1927 Calle Almireceros tavern that defines free-tapa culture, with house vermut and Alpujarran cured meats.
Tip: Stand at the bar for the free tapas; if you sit at a table you order a la carte and the free system stops.
Taberna La Tana ★ 4.5 · Granada
realejo · Calle Virgen del Rosario 11, 18009 Granada
Taberna La Tana in the Realejo of Granada has been the citys serious natural-wine bar since 1993, with 400-plus references and pairing tapas.
Tip: Closed Sundays; ask Jesus or Luisa for an Andalusian natural-wine flight if you want the deep cellar.
Juana La Loca ★ 4.5 · Madrid
la-latina · Plaza Puerta de Moros 4, 28005 Madrid
Juana La Loca on Plaza Puerta de Moros in Madrid's La Latina serves the city's most-talked-about tortilla de patata with caramelized onion, plus modern tapas.
Tip: Walk-in for the bar; the dining room books three days ahead. The tortilla is sliced at the counter for the bar crowd.
Goiz Argi ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 4, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Goiz Argi on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks a single perfect prawn brochette to order, griddled with a sweet red pepper sauce on bread.
Tip: Stand only; brochette is fired fresh. Open 10:00-16:00 and 18:30-23:30.
Bar Bergara ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
gros · General Artetxe Kalea 8, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Bergara on General Artetxe in San Sebastian's Gros, since 1950, sets out one of the most decorated miniature-cuisine pintxo counters in the city.
Tip: Walk in at the counter; small street terrace fills first. Closed Wednesdays.
Manolo Leon ★ 4.5 · Seville
san-bernardo · Calle Guadalquivir 8, 41011 Sevilla
Manolo Leon on Calle Guadalquivir in Seville is the Manolo Leon family's flagship since 1995, with an Andalusian carte built on Iberico pork.
Tip: Open daily 13:00-16:30 and 20:30-24:00. The Guadalquivir location is the larger room; reserve the patio for Sunday lunch.
Las Teresas ★ 4.5 · Seville
santa-cruz · Calle Santa Teresa 2, 41004 Sevilla
Las Teresas on Calle Santa Teresa in Seville's Santa Cruz hung jamones from the ceiling in 1870 and is an essential Santa Cruz taberna for working-day tapas.
Tip: Open daily 11:00-24:00. The standing bar is the working-day pick; the wooden tables behind take walk-in groups.
La Azotea Santa Cruz ★ 4.5 · Seville
santa-cruz · Calle Mateos Gago 8, 41004 Sevilla
La Azotea on Calle Mateos Gago in Seville's Santa Cruz is the modern-tapas counter that started in San Lorenzo in 2008 and now runs three city locations.
Tip: Open daily 13:30-16:30 and 20:30-24:00. Santa Cruz is the loudest location; book Conde de Barajas for a quieter sit-down.
Can Paixano (La Xampanyeria) ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
barceloneta · Carrer de la Reina Cristina 7, 08003 Barcelona
Can Paixano in Barcelona's Barceloneta has poured pink cava out of bottle-lined tile walls since 1969. Priced at €. Kitchen leans cava and tapas.
Tip: No reservations, no tables. Bar closes early; arrive before 22:00 to get a corner.
Victor Montes ★ 4.4 · Bilbao
casco-viejo · Plaza Nueva 8, 48005 Bilbao
Victor Montes on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao keeps the spirit of the 1849 grocery, with grilled mushrooms with foie, charcuterie and a deep wine cellar.
Tip: The terrace facing Plaza Nueva is the spot in summer; the back dining room takes reservations.
La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.4 · Bilbao
abando · Calle Diputacion 10, 48008 Bilbao
La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.
Tip: Book the taller (workshop) for the tasting menu; the deli sells the same hams to take away.
La Bella y La Bestia (Carcel Baja) ★ 4.4 · Granada
centro-sagrario · Calle Carcel Baja 14, 18001 Granada
La Bella y La Bestia on Carcel Baja in Granada is the tapeo institution known for the largest free tapas in the centre, with creative croquetas.
Tip: Drinks cost a little more than the average to pay for the size of the tapa; the maths still works out cheaper than ordering food.
Los Diamantes Navas ★ 4.4 · Granada
centro-sagrario · Calle Navas 28, 18009 Granada
Los Diamantes Navas in Granada is the original 1942 fried-fish counter on Calle Navas, the bar that defined the citys tapeo crawl with pescaito frito.
Tip: No reservations; the original Navas branch is standing-room only and yells orders from the doorway.
Bar Avila ★ 4.4 · Granada
realejo · Calle Veronica de la Magdalena 40, 18002 Granada
Bar Avila in Granada is the working-locals tapas counter on Calle Veronica de la Magdalena, with generous free tapas and a queue out the door at peak hours.
Tip: Bartenders speak Spanish only; point at the chalkboard or order the standard cana for the days surprise tapa.
Bar Poe ★ 4.4 · Granada
centro-sagrario · Calle Verónica de la Magdalena 40, 18002 Granada
Bar Poe on Veronica de la Magdalena in Granada is the British-run tapas counter that broke the free-tapa monoculture with Thai curries and piri-piri.
Tip: Cash preferred; the kitchen runs evenings only and tapas rotate every drink, so order multiple to sample the world board.
Casa Lucas ★ 4.4 · Madrid
la-latina · Cava Baja 30, 28005 Madrid
Casa Lucas on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina is the modern taberna since 1997, with a focused carte of solomillo Carlitos (pork sirloin with cabrales sauce).
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The bar at the entrance takes walk-ins for tapas; the dining room books fast.
Casa Camacho ★ 4.4 · Madrid
malasana · Calle de San Andres 4, 28004 Madrid
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana has poured the yayo (vermut with gin and seltzer, served from height) since 1928. Kitchen leans madrileno taberna.
Tip: Cash only. Walk-in only. Closed Sundays. The bar is tiny; arrive before 13:30 or after 21:30 to find space.