Spanish bars run on rules nobody writes down. When to order, how much, how to get the bartender's attention, when to pay: you're expected to know all of it, and the answers change between Madrid and San Sebastián. This is the short version, built to be read standing at a bar.
What's inside
- How it works, region by region Ordering from the chalkboard in Madrid and Barcelona, the pintxos counter in San Sebastián, the free tapa in Granada, and when each meal actually happens.
- Phrase tables you'll actually use Getting attention, ordering, portion sizes, drinks and paying, plus the few Catalan and Basque words that get noticed.
- What to eat in three cities Five dishes each for Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián, with the bar or restaurant to eat them at, and what's in season when.
- The unwritten rules, and the traps Where to stand, how to tip, and the signs that a place is cooking for people who'll never come back.
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Who wrote it
Craig Neethling Escudero, based in Valencia. The site is independent. Some links to tours are affiliate links, which means a small commission at no cost to you if you book through one, and that has never decided what gets recommended.
Rather just read it online?
Everything in the guide exists in longer form on the site, free and ungated. Start with how tapas work, how pintxos work or how to order tapas in Spanish. For the food itself: what to eat in Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián.
Heading only to Barcelona? There's a separate, longer Barcelona food guide with neighborhood-by-neighborhood picks.