The Best Pintxos Bars in San Sebastián (2026): A Local's Guide by Neighbourhood

The best pintxos bars in San Sebastián: the full list

Prices are typical 2026 ranges per pintxo, not checked against each bar’s menu board. They change with the season and the ingredients. Closing days come from official sites, the Michelin Guide, the city tourism directory and recent listings, checked in October 2026. Where sources conflict, we say so, and “check” means we couldn’t confirm the day. Many bars also close for a week or two in winter.

Parte Vieja (Old Town): the heart of it

The Old Town has an absurd number of bars in a few streets, above all Fermín Calbetón and 31 de Agosto. During the 1813 siege, the houses on the even-numbered side of 31 de Agosto were the only ones to survive the fire, and the street is named after the date the city was destroyed.

La Cuchara de San Telmo: our pick for best overall

This tiny bar, tucked behind the San Telmo Museum on Santa Korda, opened in 1999 and changed the game: no counter display, just a chalkboard and a kitchen you can almost touch.

• Order: carrillera (beef cheek) in red wine, seared foie with apple, suckling pig (often not available on Sundays).
• When: right at opening or after 22:00.
• Closed: Mondays. Some listings show Tuesday as evenings only, so check.
• Vibe: elbow-to-elbow, brilliant.

Borda Berri: best hot pintxos

Founded by La Cuchara alumni Iñaki Gulín and Marc Clua, Borda Berri works from a blackboard of roughly 15–18 hot pintxos, all cooked from scratch.

• Order: the Idiazabal cheese and mushroom risotto, beef cheeks, the pork-rib “kebab”, and pork ear if you’re brave.
• Closed: Monday in most listings. Sunday hours differ from one listing to the next, so check before a Sunday visit.
• Tip: stand near the pass and order in rounds of two.

Bar Nestor: the tortilla with a waiting list

This bar on Pescadería measures about 40 square metres and has served four things since 1980: tortilla, tomato salad, green peppers and txuleta (old-cow rib steak). It makes only two tortillas a day, one at 13:00 and one at 20:00. You put your name down in person about an hour before. Each tortilla uses 14 eggs. The guide site sansebastianpintxobars.com says only 16 or maybe 17 portions are available, they sell out fast, and it’s one slice per person.

• Closed: Mondays. On Sundays it opens for lunch only, so there is just the 13:00 tortilla.
• Our take: do it once. If the list is full, Antonio Bar and Bar La Cepa are good backups.

Ganbara: best splurge

A classic on San Jerónimo, listed in the Michelin Guide. The inspectors credit the quality of its pintxos and mention an intimate dining room in the cellar.

• Order: seasonal wild mushrooms with egg yolk, crab tartlet, grilled squid.
• Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 12:30–15:30 and 19:00–22:30.
• Closed: Sunday and Monday.
• Note: prices are above average, and the mushrooms justify them.

Bar Txepetxa: best classic

Txepetxa has been open since 1972, and locals call it the temple of the anchovy. Owner Manu Marañón serves marinated anchovies on warm toast, topped with things like spider crab cream, sea urchin roe or the “jardinera”.

• Closed: Monday. Listings disagree on whether Tuesday is dinner only and Sunday lunch only, so check before you go on either day.

Gandarias: best for first-timers and Sundays

Gandarias is open every day from 11:00 to midnight. The kitchen runs all day and the counter is big and easy to read.

• Order: the solomillo and txuleta pintxos.
• Gluten-free: the city tourism directory tags it as having gluten-free options.

More Old Town essentials

• La Viña (31 de Agosto 3): home of Santiago Rivera’s original Basque cheesecake, creamy in the middle. Open Tuesday–Sunday; closed Mondays.
• Goiz Argi (Fermín Calbetón 4): come for the brocheta de gambas (prawn skewer with vinaigrette). Most listings show it open daily.
• Bar Martínez (31 de Agosto 13): family-run since 1942, and recognised by the Michelin Guide for its range of hot and cold pintxos. The closing days shift with the season: in winter it closes on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday, in summer on Thursday and Friday morning.
• Atari Gastroleku (Calle Mayor 18): faces Santa María church. Buzzy and open late, with croquettes and foie. Reportedly closed on Tuesdays.
• Casa Urola (Fermín Calbetón 20): chef Pablo Loureiro Rodil’s seasonal bar pintxos, cooked to order. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Bar Tamboril (Pescadería 2): open since 1955 and run by the same family as Ganbara. Order the mushroom pintxo. Closed Sunday and Monday.
• Bar Sport (Fermín Calbetón 10): loud and lively, with good txistorra and sea urchin.
• Jose Mari Taberna: txangurro and Iberian pork cheeks, without the queue.
• La Mejillonera: cheap, messy, joyful. Come for the bravas sauce.

Closed: don’t follow outdated lists

A Fuego Negro (31 de Agosto 31) is closed: its owners announced the closure in 2021 and its website no longer works. It was famous for its Kobe mini-burger and its 2007 national title. Bar Zeruko (Pescadería 10), home of the smoking “Hoguera” cod, is also closed, with no reopening date.

Gros: where locals eat

Across the Kursaal bridge, Gros is surfier, younger and less crowded than the Old Town. On Thursdays it hosts the city’s busiest pintxo-pote.

• Bar Bergara (General Artetxe 8): best modern. Bergara was founded in 1950 and is in the 2026 Michelin Guide with its “Worth Queueing For” tag. The guide picks out four pintxos: the Txalupa (mushroom and prawn gratin), Itxaso (monkfish with seafood cream), Udaberri (courgette with crayfish cream), and foie with port-braised grapes. Open every day, 11:00–23:00, with a break from 16:00 to 19:00 on Saturdays.
• Bodega Donostiarra (Peña y Goñi 13). Open since 1928 and home of the Indurain: tuna, anchovy, olive, guindilla and spring onion, named after the cyclist Miguel Induráin. Excellent Russian salad too. Closed Sundays.
• Bar Ricardo (General Artetxe 6). Family-run since 1975, known for croquetas and cod tortilla. Closed Wednesdays.
• Casa Senra (San Francisco 32). A Michelin Guide “Where Chefs Go” piece recommends its clam and salsa verde croquette. Open most days; listings disagree about Sundays.
• Bar Zabaleta. A serious tortilla contender. In 2026 it featured in ETB2’s Pintxo Pote TV series, along with Txofre Taberna, La Taska de Gros and Txiki Taberna.
• Txofre Taberna. A family business known for its Russian salad.

Pintxo-pote in Gros

Pintxo-pote is a bar promotion: a pintxo and a drink at a set price, usually for two or three hours on a particular weekday.

• When: in Gros it runs on Thursday evenings, roughly 19:00/19:30 to 22:30.
• Price: San Sebastián Turismo puts it at about €3.50 in Gros and €2.50 in Amara Viejo.
• Where: the streets around Zabaleta, Bermingham (Txalota is at no. 26) and Plaza Cataluña. The Karkizano area draws an older crowd.

Expect it to be packed, and expect smaller pintxos than the rest of the week.

Centro and around La Bretxa

• Antonio Bar (Bergara 3): best breakfast. Humberto Segura and Ramón Elizalde have run it since 1995. It opens at 9:00 and makes tortilla in limited batches through the day, reportedly at 9:30, 10:30, 11:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 19:00 (check before you go). Closed Sundays.
• Casa Vallés (Reyes Católicos 10): where the Gilda was born. Order a Gilda and a vermouth and toast 1946. The bar is closed on Mondays and serves until 16:30 on Sundays.
• La Espiga (San Marcial 48). Founded in 1928 and now run by the third generation of the Castro family. Roomier than the Old Town bars, and open daily, though one listing has it closed on Sunday evenings.
• Bar Gorriti (San Juan 3): best hidden gem. By La Bretxa market and open from 7:00, with traditional pintxos that change constantly. Closed Sundays.
• Bar Haizea (Aldamar 8). A reliable counter on the edge of the Old Town. Closed Sundays and public-holiday evenings.
• La Rebotika (Avenida Zarautz 6, Antiguo): best gluten-free. A short bus ride west of the centre, so not a crawl stop. It says it holds the Basque coeliac association’s certification, and it has gluten-free bread and separate preparation; the city tourism office lists its gluten-free and vegan options.

The 18 most famous pintxos and where to eat them

Kokotxas (hake throats, often in salsa verde or pil-pil) are a classic Basque dish. Order them wherever you see them on a board.

Which bars are open when? Closing days by bar

✅ open · ❌ closed · ½ part-day (lunch or dinner only) · ? sources conflict

Bar Martínez’s row shows its winter pattern; in summer it closes on Thursday and Friday morning instead.

Monday survival kit: Gandarias, Bergara, Goiz Argi, Antonio Bar, Bodega Donostiarra, Casa Senra and La Espiga. Sunday evening: Gandarias, Bergara, La Cuchara and La Viña.

Self-guided pintxo crawls

Route 1: Old Town Classic (Tuesday–Saturday evening, about 3 hours)

Every stop is within a few hundred metres. Start on Pescadería near Santa María church, loop down to Fermín Calbetón, and finish on 31 de Agosto.

Route 2: Gros Local (any day except Sunday; best on Thursday)

Cross the Kursaal bridge, work inland along Peña y Goñi and General Artetxe, then finish near Zurriola beach.

Route 3: Centro Breakfast-to-Lunch (Tuesday–Saturday, 9:30–14:30)

Practical tips

• Best times: lunch runs roughly 12:30–15:30 and evenings 19:30–22:30. Old Town bars peak around 20:30–22:00, so arrive at opening or go late.

• Beat the crowds: go at weekday lunchtimes and start your evening in Gros. Avoid the Old Town on August weekends and cruise-ship days.

• Budget:

  • €20–25 for a light lunch crawl
  • €35–45 for a full evening
  • €50+ if you add Ganbara or Nestor’s txuleta and good wine

• Gluten-free: always tell staff you’re coeliac (“soy celíaco/a”). Options include:

  • La Rebotika, which says it is certified
  • Gandarias, tagged gluten-friendly by the tourism directory
  • Mendaur Berria at Fermín Calbetón 8, where the coeliac guide Celicidad says 85% of the pintxo menu is suitable for coeliacs, with “total safety”
  • Atari, which makes gluten-free versions to order
  • La Cepa, which heats gluten-free bread on request
  • La Espiga

  See our gluten-free and alcohol-free guide.

• Vegetarian: Ganbara’s mushrooms, Tamboril’s champis, Borda Berri’s risotto, Bergara’s Udaberri, and tortilla everywhere. You can also ask for a Gilda without the anchovy.

• Kids: welcome in bars, especially at lunch. Gandarias, La Espiga and Bodega Donostiarra are the easiest with a pushchair.

• Accessibility: many Old Town bars are tiny, with steps and packed counters. Larger venues such as La Espiga, Gandarias and Bergara are better bets. Call ahead.

• Spotting tourist traps: be wary of:

  • counters piled high with mayonnaise-heavy pintxos that never seem to get replenished
  • the ping of a microwave
  • laminated photo menus and touts outside

  Good bars refresh the counter often, list hot pintxos on a board and cook them to order.

What to drink with pintxos

Order a txakoli, the Basque Country’s crisp, slightly sparkling white, poured from a height to wake it up. A zurito is the local small beer, and a txikito is a short glass of wine, often a young Rioja. Basque cider goes beautifully with anchovies and txistorra, and a midday vermouth with a Gilda is a Donostia ritual. For more, read our guides to pintxos and wine pairing and how to order wine in San Sebastián.

Fun facts to impress your table

• The Gilda was named after Rita Hayworth’s 1946 film because it was “salty, spicy and a little green.”

• The 2026 Michelin Guide gives San Sebastián six starred restaurants with 11 stars between them:

  • Arzak and Akelaŕe: three stars each
  • Amelia by Paulo Airaudo: two stars
  • iBAi, Kokotxa and newcomer Itzuli: one star each

  Add Martín Berasategui in nearby Lasarte-Oria and Mugaritz in Errenteria, and you can see where the “most stars per capita” boast comes from.

• La Viña’s cheesecake is now copied from London to Tokyo. Locally it’s simply tarta de queso de La Viña; the “burnt” label is mostly a foreign invention.

• Nestor’s tortilla is so oversubscribed that each portion is reserved in person, by name, an hour ahead.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best pintxos bars in San Sebastián?

The essentials are La Cuchara de San Telmo, Borda Berri, Bar Nestor, Ganbara, Txepetxa and Gandarias in the Old Town, plus Bar Bergara and Bodega Donostiarra in Gros. Order each bar’s signature and move on.

How much do pintxos cost in San Sebastián in 2026?

Counter pintxos usually cost about €2.50–€4 and hot pintxos about €4–€8, with premium items costing more. Budget €35–45 per person for an evening across four or five bars.

What time does Bar Nestor serve its tortilla?

Bar Nestor makes two tortillas a day, at 13:00 and 20:00. Put your name down in person about an hour beforehand. The bar is closed on Mondays and opens only for lunch on Sundays.

Which pintxos bars are open on Mondays?

Gandarias, Bar Bergara, Goiz Argi, Antonio Bar, Bodega Donostiarra, Casa Senra and La Espiga are generally open on Mondays. La Cuchara, Nestor, Ganbara, Txepetxa, Borda Berri and La Viña are closed.

Which pintxos bars are open on Sundays?

Gandarias and Bergara are open all day on Sundays, and La Cuchara and La Viña open for lunch and dinner. Ganbara, Bodega Donostiarra, Antonio Bar and Bar Gorriti are closed, and Borda Berri’s Sunday hours vary, so check.

What is pintxo-pote?

Pintxo-pote is a weekly bar promotion: a pintxo and a drink at a set price for a few hours. In Gros it runs on Thursday evenings and usually costs around €3.50.

Is A Fuego Negro still open?

No. A Fuego Negro is closed, and the original Bar Zeruko is closed too.

Where was the Gilda invented?

The Gilda was created in 1946 at Casa Vallés in San Sebastián, now at Reyes Católicos 10. It was named after Rita Hayworth’s film Gilda.

Where can I eat gluten-free pintxos in San Sebastián?

La Rebotika in Antiguo says it holds the Basque coeliac association’s certification. Gandarias, Mendaur Berria, Atari, La Cepa and La Espiga also offer gluten-free options. Always confirm with staff.

Is the Old Town or Gros better for pintxos?

The Old Town has the most famous bars in the smallest area and suits first-timers. Gros is more local and less crowded, and it’s at its best on Thursdays for pintxo-pote.

Do I need to tip in pintxos bars?

Tipping isn’t expected in San Sebastián’s pintxos bars. Rounding up or leaving small change for good service is appreciated.

How many pintxos should I eat per bar?

Locals usually have one or two pintxos and a small drink per bar, then move on. Four to six bars makes a full evening.

Eat San Sebastián with a local

Reading about pintxos is fun. Eating them with someone who knows which bartender to catch, which board special just landed and which bar is shut today is better. The San Sebastian food tour: pintxo tasting paired with wines takes 3 hours through traditional Old Town bars, with eight pintxos, three wines from different Spanish regions, a cider and a local liqueur, from $121 per person. It is rated 4.8/5 from 835 reviews, gluten-free and vegetarian options are available, and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund (our breakdown). If you would rather follow a smaller group with Devour, the Devour Pintxos and Wine Tour visits five Old Town bars for $120, with eight pintxos and four drinks (4.8/5 from 649 reviews).

Keep exploring:

• San Sebastián wine tours and tastings: the complete guide
• Wine tour prices, times and booking in San Sebastián
• The best wine bars in San Sebastián
• Pintxos and wine pairing in San Sebastián
• How to order wine in San Sebastián
• Gluten-free & alcohol-free options on a pintxos and wine tour
• Basque cider houses near San Sebastián
• Basque wines explained: txakoli and Rioja Alavesa
• Private wine tastings in San Sebastián