28 editor picks in San Sebastián.
28 spanish tapas places in San Sebastián we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in San Sebastián | Spanish Tapas across every city.
Pintxos are San Sebastian's defining ritual, and the Parte Vieja is their heart, where you move from counter to counter rather than settling at one table. La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto and Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton Kalea lead the hot, made-to-order school, while Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor and Gandarias keep the busy Old Town crawl alive. Out in the centre, Antonio Bar on Bergara Kalea shows the same craft away from the tourist throng.
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian opened in 1999 from chefs trained at Lasarte and El Bulli, cooking made-to-order modern.
OrderThe carrillera de ternera braised in red wine; the foie a la plancha with apple compote.
TipNo display counter; read the blackboard. Queue early before 13:00 or after 21:00, the bar gets four deep at peak.
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos with bold Basque flavours, no counter display, just a tight list of plates.
OrderThe Idiazabal risotto with puntalette pasta; the Basatxerri pork ribs with ras el hanout.
TipClosed Sundays. Cash and card both. Stand outside if the bar is full; food comes out fast.
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian, opposite the Santa Maria del Coro church, runs a long bar of experimental pintxos with a stand-and-eat.
OrderThe prawn brochette and the solomillo-foie skewer; finish with a glass of Txakoli on the church-step terrace.
TipOpen until 01:00 weekdays, 02:30 weekends; the terrace fills first. No reservations, walk-in only.
Gandarias on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town runs one of the longest pintxo display counters in the quarter, with a back dining room.
OrderThe solomillo a la plancha on bread with sea salt and a fried Padron; the jamon iberico from the counter.
TipOpen continuously through siesta, the rare Old Town room that does not shut at 16:00. The counter is busy; the back room takes reservations.
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro is the locals' tortilla room, with a 28-egg, deep-caramelised tortilla and a gilda built on two anchovies.
OrderA wedge of the tortilla, the double-anchovy gilda; espresso at the counter to finish.
TipTortilla is finished by 14:30 most days; arrive before then. Cash-friendly; the counter is small and stand-only.
Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town serves a classic counter of grilled foie, stuffed squid and braised cheek, with the house Txakoli.
OrderThe grilled foie a la plancha; the txipiron stuffed with spider crab; a glass of house Txakoli.
TipWalk in only; counter standing room. Open until midnight daily, weekends from 11:00.
Goiz Argi on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks one perfect prawn brochette to order, griddled with red pepper sauce on a slice of bread.
OrderThe brocheta de gambas (prawn skewer) cooked to order; a glass of Txakoli to pair.
TipStand-only at the counter; brochette is fired fresh, expect a 4-minute wait. Open 10:00-16:00 and 18:30-23:30.
Bar Martinez on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town has been a shellfish pintxo bar since 1942, now run by the third generation of the Martinez.
OrderA pintxo de marisco from the counter; the seared octopus, the prawn brochette.
TipCounter is busy from 13:00 and 21:00; weekends and August are extremely crowded. No reservations.
Casa Vergara on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town, since 1948, sits across from the Santa Maria del Coro basilica with the bacalao al pil pil pintxo.
OrderThe bacalao al pil pil pintxo from the counter; the tortilla pintxo by the slice.
TipFront terrace fills first; the church-step view is the standing-room reward. Open daily.
Bar Bergara on General Artetxe in San Sebastian's Gros, since 1950, is the award-winning miniature-cuisine counter where Juan Mari Arzak is a regular.
OrderThe Txalupa with prawn-mushroom gratin; the Itxaso monkfish with seafood cream.
TipWalk in only at the counter; small street terrace. The kitchen rotates new pintxos through the year while keeping the prize-winners on the daily list.
Bartolo on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town keeps one of the longest pintxo display counters in the quarter, with a sit-down dining room serving.
OrderA tortilla pintxo from the counter; sit down for the steak or seared fish in the back.
TipCounter pintxos are pay-as-you-go; back room takes reservations through their site. Closed Tuesdays.
Bar Astelena on Calle Inigo in San Sebastian's Old Town, in business since 1960, runs a tight counter of pintxos plus a small dining room behind for sit-down.
OrderThe foie con compota de manzana; the carrillera braised in red wine.
TipSmaller crowd than the Calle 31 de Agosto rooms; lunch sit-down requires booking by phone.
Casa Vergara on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town, since 1948, sits opposite the Santa Maria del Coro basilica with the bacalao al pil pil pintxo.
OrderThe bacalao al pil pil pintxo; the tortilla by the slice; a glass of Txakoli on the church-step terrace.
TipTerrace seating across from the basilica fills first. Open daily; standing room only.
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian, opposite the Santa Maria del Coro church, runs a long bar of experimental pintxos and a church-step.
OrderThe langostino brochette; the solomillo with foie; a Txakoli on the terrace.
TipNo reservations, walk in only. The terrace is the social hour; pull up at 19:30 to beat the queue.
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.
OrderThe risotto de Idiazabal con puntalette; the carrillera al vino tinto; the Basatxerri pork ribs.
TipWalk in only, closed Sundays. Stand outside if the bar is full; orders come out fast.
Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town runs a brisk pintxos counter of grilled foie, stuffed squid and braised cheek, with a Txakoli pour.
OrderThe foie a la plancha; the txipiron stuffed with spider crab.
TipCounter standing only. Open daily until midnight; weekends from 11:00.
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.
OrderThe brocheta de gambas, cooked to order; chipiron a la plancha; a glass of Txakoli.
TipStand only; brochette is fired fresh. Open 10:00-16:00 and 18:30-23:30.
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.
OrderThe carrillera de ternera in red wine; foie a la plancha with apple compote; pulpo a la brasa.
TipQueue before 13:00 or after 21:00; the bar is four-deep at peak. No reservations.
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.
OrderA wedge of the tortilla; the double-anchovy gilda; espresso to finish.
TipTortilla finishes by 14:30 most days. Counter is small and stand-only.
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.
OrderThe Txalupa gratin of prawn and mushroom; a wedge of the tortilla de anchoas; a glass of Txakoli.
TipWalk in at the counter; small street terrace fills first. Closed Wednesdays.
Bar Martinez on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town has been a shellfish pintxo bar since 1942, now in its third generation with a long counter.
OrderAny pintxo de marisco from the counter; the seared octopus.
TipBusy from 13:00 and 21:00. No reservations. Weekends and August are extremely crowded.
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town keeps the pintxos counter and the Txakoli pour going past midnight, with the church-step terrace.
OrderPintxos and Txakoli on the church-step terrace
TipCounter and terrace open until 02:30 at weekends. No reservations.
Bodega Donostiarra in San Sebastian: spanish tapas room. Side-street Gros bar off Pena y Goni from 1928, where the locals' Indurain and mini completo.
TipThe mini completo de bonito and the Indurain are the signature plates; lunch crowd is local. Open from 09:00 daily.
Antonio Bar on Bergara Kalea in San Sebastian's Centro skips the Old Town queues and pours the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda at the counter.
TipTortilla finishes by 14:30; arrive earlier on weekends Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.
Bar Tamboril in San Sebastian: Same family as Ganbara but a tighter, quieter counter on Plaza de la Constitucion that even guidebook regulars skip.
TipTwo pintxos: the champinon and the gamba a la gabardina. Closed Tuesdays.
Fermin Calbeton at the end of its namesake street in San Sebastian runs a back-room brasa and a callos pintxo, rebranded from Casa Tiburcio in 2022.
TipBrasa lights at 12:30 and 20:00.
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro serves a wedge of the 28-egg tortilla with a cana under 7 euros, the locals' lunchtime budget plate.
OrderTortilla wedge with a cana
TipTortilla finishes by 14:30. Stand at the counter; cash and card both.
Bar Tamboril on Arrandegi next to Plaza de la Constitucion in San Sebastian's Old Town turns out garlic-mushroom pintxos for under 4 euros, the budget hot.
OrderMushrooms in olive oil pintxo
TipCounter standing only; closed Tuesdays.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Visit the best pintxos and wine bars in San Sebastian on an exclusive tour. Discover some of the best local, family-run eateries and hidden gems.
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Escape the crowds and dive into the authentic flavors of San Sebastian as you taste lesser-known favorites and iconic bites in the Centro neighborhood.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Spend an evening exploring five San Sebastián bars with a Michelin-trained chef. Enjoy 7 to 12 pintxos, txakoli and local drinks, plus dessert, a full dinner with stor...
