tapas in San Sebastian and Bilbao

This recommendation is also dated (I visited San Sebastian in 2017). I thought the pintxos (tapas) at La Cuchara de San Telmo were exceptional. This is a place where all pintxos are ordered off the menu (posted on a blackboard) rather than pre-made and sitting on the bar. I went back twice (I recall some delicious grilled octopus).

My best recommendation is to go to several different places; try one pintxo and then move on to another place.

Tapas is one thing and pintxos is another thing, very different. In both Donostia-San Sebastian and Bilbao there are hundreds of bars offering great pintxos (and not tapas), which differ a lot from one bar to another (there may be 4000 types of pintxos, probably many more). They are never a meal for us, in fact we like to have them before lunch (which is around 2pm) and/or before dinner (which is rarely before 9pm on weekdays and 10pm on weekends). We normally have one pintxo per bar, together with a drink (a zurito -small beer-, a glass of our local cider (not sweet and not carbonated) or a glass of good wine), standing and not seated, and we spend normally around 15 min in each bar, moving to next one and then to next and next and next...

Common mistake made by visitors: to go to one bar and seat down to have six or seven pintxos on a plate. You have them and then...it´s over, and the fun has finished too early!

I am actually in Bilbao at the moment and going to San Sebastian tomorrow.

You really can not go more than a few feet without finding a Pintxo bar, they are all over, dozens of them, and after a bit, many of the pintxos become common.

My suggestions so far (I'll try to update in a few days):

Find a place that displays a few of each and turns them over (busy) frequently. Most are made ahead, sit, the "hot" one are warmed for you, some places will make hot ones fresh. Best is to just wander in a look at what is on display and on the menu board. If it looks good, it usually is.

You need to be a bit aggressive, you go to the bar, order drinks and pintxos, usually pay if you are heading out to stand outside, if you are at the bar they may keep track, some places also have table service for drinks and larger Raciones, in that case, you can still go to the bar and pick pintxos, just tell them your table number

Drinks (Wine, Vermouth, Cider) are cheap 2-3 euro, Pintxos the same, 2-3 euro each.

The thing is to just do one or two pintxos at a place and move on, but it is hard not to do 3 or 4.

For Bilbao so far, any of the places in Plaza Nueva are decent, Gure Toki and Cafe Bar Bilbao get special mention. Away from the old town, El Globo we really enjoyed.

Meanwhile, on Youtube, there are some videos from James Blick of Devour tours, he has a couple on San Sebastian with some great suggestions. Also from the Apple or Google store, there is an app called Pintxos that has like the 99 best pintxos for San Sebastian, it looks like they keep it up to date, but it is a great tool for seeing the types of pintxos you might see, plus the names of the bars.

Was in San Sebastian in May, really enjoyed Borda Berri and Bar Sport in the Old Town, and Bodega Donostiarra and Bergara in Gros.

We're in the midst of planning a (return) trip to Spain next spring, with a first time visit to San Sebastian. In doing research this past week, we came across Mark Wiens (food blogger/vlogger), and a new video he posted just last month about his recent time in San Sebastian and the food tour he took. His guide was Gabriella Ranelli, who was also featured in Anthony Bourdain's episodes on San Sebastian. we found it very informative and know we will definitely try a few of the places. And to note about the places featured ~ we have since checked out their web sites, and days/times of operation definitely vary. Anyway, here's the link to his video: https://youtu.be/zNXctUnHp5A.

Most bars in the Basque Country (everywhere, not just Donostia-San Sebastian) offer pintxos. We like to have pintxos mainly before lunch or dinner, that is, around noon to 2pm (lunch time, customarily, the biggest meal of the day) or around 7 to 9pm (we like to have dinner about 0930, something not too big). During the "aperitivo" or "vermouth" time (not the US type of vermouth) you´ll find streets to be packed with families and friends enjoying their "zuritos" (small glasses of beer), ciders or wines, for a couple of hours before lunch. Hundreds of places, very family oriented, and with a very lively atmosphere. Gabriella Ranelli is a living institution in the gastro world of Donostia-San Sebastian.

A few more comments...

For Bilbao, one thing that did surprise us, given the late eating nature of Spain, is that, at least during the week, is that most places closed by 10:00 PM, few if any stayed open later than 11 PM. Basically having a good time, and they are shutting the doors.

Also pay attention to the closing days of places, in Plaza Nuevo, Monday through Wednesday, at least one or two places will be closed, and most places use one of those days as a closure.

San Sebastian...

We concentrated on Old Town, every place we hit was a treat, these included:

Paco Bueno, small, traditional place, their specialty is battered shrimp, two to a skewer, they turn over fast enough that they will be hot from the kitchen.

Casa Urola, and upscale place, best stuff is off the menu board above the bar, these will run you closer to 4 euro per dish..but a scallop in creamed ajoblanco...cod and fresh green beans...a mushroom tart, wow. They had sold out of the lobster bite pintxo...so maybe tomorrow.

Bar 1813, just a nice array of limited pintxos, no overdoing it with 30 choices.

Maybe the highlight (well Urola was pretty good as well) was Gandarius. Freshly cooked beef tenderloin on simple bread (Solomillo); Foie Gras la Plancha..seared foie gras...melt in your mouth; a gratin crab tart, and the unexpected treat, a slice of bread, with a sundried tomato, a slice of goat cheese, with a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and topped with pistachios...even my hard to please wife who resists eating anything strange was impressed.

As a bonus...Maiatza...not for pintxos, but a wonderful breakfast, a number of tasty topped toasts (I has bacon, egg, avocado, plus more), greek yogurt with toppings, juices, smoothies...very good. Also Oiartzun, for that late night, very good, gelato.

Still have a dozen or more on my list, the App I mentioned above is very useful, also has a "located near me function" to use as you walk around.

Wow! This all helps so much. Its going to take me a while to go through all this, but I'm grateful for all these responses.

I did know they are called pinxtos in the Basque area, just misspoke I guess.

Another question, do Spaniards not have stomach issues? How do they all avoid heartburn and sleeplessness when they eat so very late? For us the pintxos/tapas are a great way to work with the restaurant schedules of Spanish restaurants.

Another question, do Spaniards not have stomach issues? How do they all avoid heartburn and sleeplessness when they eat so very late?

In Spain our dinners are usually very light on the stomach, mostly eaten at home, think a tortilla francesa or pan con tomate. The main meal of the day in Spain is lunch, unlike in the USA where you're more likely to have the steak and potatoes for dinner. Going out for a big dinner is something I mainly see tourists doing in Spain.

I think we go to bed a tad later too than the typical Anglo, so for us it's not eating "late". A very popular tv program MasterChef España goes well into the mid-night .

We mostly cook and dine at home, and it´s something very light. As the previous poster says, we see tourists having these big dinners and it´s quite surprising to us. For example, we´d have a small omelette, or a soup, or some fish, or a salad...for dinner, that is normally well past 9pm. But we do not go to bed until midnight, which is not late for us...it´s the others that go to bed early!! :) :)

Paul, during the weekdays Bilbao is a working city and most people have dinner at home, not at restaurants. So we go home around 0930sh for dinner. The scenario changes completely on Fridays and Saturdays. And yes, in Spain most bars close at least one day per week, traditionally on Monday, but it may be any other day.

My wife and I are going to BCN, VAL and MAD for two weeks. Are the tapas and dinner customs in those cities similar to what is described for Bilboa and San Sebastion?

What is the difference between tapas and pintxos?

My wife doesn't drink alcohol and I try not to drink too much (gout and diabetes). What are customary non-alcoholic drinks? Can we just order a soda water at a tapas bar? We like the idea of hopping bar to bar to try different tapas, but we just can't drink so much.

If the bartender serves a tapa without ordering, is it complimentary with the drink? I recall reading a blog where Steves had to ask if it was free.

Ordering from a menu or board is straightforward for me. Even if I don't understand, I don't mind ordering randomly and being surprised; I will eat just about anything.

However, I see all these photos with large plates of tapas on the bar. Do I point and wait for the bartender to serve us the tapas or do we have to serve ourselves? I understand the concept of counting toothpicks, but that is not always the custom, right?

A lot of questions, but this is all new to us. Thanks.

There are several "tapas" cultures and it varies from region to region. In some places (Granada, Almería, for example) it´s a customary thing that goes with your drink, and they go included with it. In many places a "tapa" is some olives, or a piece of cheese, or a meatball...something simple. In other places it´s something bigger.

In Madrid (not that much in Valencia or Barcelona), if you order a glass of wine or a beer, they will likely serve you a small complimentary tapa. You may of course have a soda (funny, but Coca-Cola is more expensive than wine in the Basque Country) or a "mosto" (grape juice) or any juice. You may order just water, of course (standard is non-carbonated, but you have both options in most places).

A pintxo is normally more elaborated than a tapa and in many cases it´s high cuisine in a small dish. Many are presented on top of a slice of bread. And they are served in the Basque Country and Navarre, basically, although they make them in other places. And pintxos are outlines on top of the counter.

Some bars will display the pintxos on the counter and you can get them with your hand or tell the bartender to get it for you. The toothpick counting is a myth, nobody does it (maybe long time ago, but for sure not now anywhere). Some will be on a board, and you can ask for them (those are the pintxos made on order at the moment). Everything will be very, very good.

As you´re going to Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid, there will be no pintxos there, so no issues (and if there are, avoid them!). They´ll have tapas menus, which is the evolution of free tapas due to tourism. In fact it´s more "raciones" (rations) than tapas, and it´s a way to offer bigger rations and charging for them.

Relax, you´ll find it very easy and there are lots and lots of bars in Spain where you´ll have a great experience.

However, I see all these photos with large plates of tapas on the bar. Do I point and wait for the bartender to serve us the tapas or do we have to serve ourselves?

Pre-covid, I think some places were self-serve, and I was in places that counted plates (each was served on a small plate) but every place this trip has the pintxos behind glass and they serve. For cold and premade tapas, just get the attention of a bartender, point to what you want, some will need to be warmed, they will stick them in a convection oven for 20 seconds or so. One place had a system where all the pintxos at the bar were numbered, you put quantities wanted next to the number on a sheet and hand it to the bar, they make up a plate and bring it to you. For Pintxos and raciones ordered from the menu board, the system varies. If you are at a table with service, the waiter will order for you, or you tell the bartender what you want and your table number (Or point to where you are) and they will bring it to you. One or two places used the pager/buzzer type thing to let you know when it was ready, others just shout your name. Of course in the South, with raciones, you will order from the bar or a waiter.

Spanish "dim sum"! (I am Chinese-Canadian). I should have made that connection earlier, but I've been so caught up with booking flights, hotels and train schedules that my brain is in a fog. Counting plates and an à la carte order form is familiar to me. I hope Spanish food prices are not like here in Vancouver. It wasn't too long ago that dim sum dishes were $3-5 each.
Now they are almost $10. Gracias for the info.

Pintxo prices do vary. Most things put on a slice of bread or a skewer will run you 2-3 euro, with some skewers less if they are mainly olives and peppers, to some pintxos on bread going up to 4 euro in fancier places, and higher cost ingredients. "pintxos" ordered off the board or a menu are more like 1/4 raciones and can be risotto in a dish, a slices of steak or duck, cod with pil pil sauce, those can run from 4 euro to 6 euro, with some things cheaper if simple. At least one place offered these dishes as pintxos, but you could also get a half racione, or full racione of the same thing.

I would follow the local way and have one pintxo or maybe two per place. Do not get your plate overstuffed , the fun is gone the moment you finish! The place in San Sebastian with numbers for pintxos is a big NO-NO for locals, if you want to enjoy good pintxos I would not go there. it´s just for tourists.

I've been busy with family matters, but i just want to say how much I appreciate all these fantastic suggestions and advice. It all helps me quite a bit. There are many kind people on the forum that are so generous with their time.

I've put in a lot of effort over the years, and I just have tremendous difficulty learning a new language. I've tried various apps. I usually am able to somewhat master about 6 "polite phrases" for each country we visit and words needed for navigation. I have found I do pick up a bit as we travel. Any suggestions for reading the pinxtos boards that are obviously written in Basque or maybe Spanish?? There are certain things we are very anxious to try, such as baby squid and beef cheeks and I will look up translations for those in advance.

Any suggestions for reading the pinxtos boards that are obviously written in Basque or maybe Spanish??

Yes, some of the menu boards may appear in Basque, but nearly always there will be the same in Spanish (or more politely referred to in the North as Castilian), and many times English...or even French.

Get a translator for your phone, I have an Android device, so use Google Translate. You can download the Spanish language for offline use; they have Basque for online use. Also, just a google search can help identify a dish, or if you see something come out you want, ask, most in the bars are multilingual.

I find their English may not be perfect, my Spanish is very limited, but we get by with a mix of the two, i suppose sort of a Spanglish.

It is best if you are willing to be a bit daring, I can eat about anything, so I really enjoyed myself...my wife who has a narrower view of food and does not eat meat...it was more difficult, but even she enjoyed it.

One thing that surprises many of my US visitors is that we have "seasonal" products in our markets and we eat according to what´s fresh and belonging to that period of time. For example, you talk about "baby squid"...well, off the summer months there´s no more fresh squid and I would not have them out of this period. Grapes are best now, in September and October. Tuna season is ending, so no tuna in March or April, unless it comes from very far away or it´s frozen. I still saw some anchovies in the Bilbao Ribera market yesterday, but they were not from the Cantabrian sea (season ended) but from the Mediterranean (smaller) and still in season. Sardines have practically disappeared already, and we´ll have other fishes (like cod, which is a winter fish) and other products. Thanks for your great interest in doing the right thing, I would not worry about what´s on the board or on the counter, everything is delicious and you can´t practically go wrong. I was yesterday with a family from Philadelphia and when they learnt the local ways (which took them just two bars), they enjoyed their time very much!