Bar Zabaleta — Restaurant in San Sebastián

My wife and I were staying a month in Donostia, or San Sebastián, and had visited a dozen or so pintxo restaurants by the time we ventured into this small establishment in the city’s Gros Neighborhood, which abuts the famed Zurriola surfing beach. Bar Zabaleta did not disappoint! Fresh, fresh, fresh sums up the ingredients and the pintxos. Unlike other restaurants, where the pintxos sit on display all day until they are ordered, the staff at Zabaleta makes them fresh. The place has outdoor seating, which was filled when we arrived around 8:30 p.m., but we grabbed an open table inside. This place is probably best known for its tortilla de patata, or Basque omelette, which is served up fresh and cooked in a style with the eggs soft. I recommend this a starter. We also ordered the chiparones a la plancha, or grilled squid, pintxo. It took a few minutes for them to cook this up, but it was worth the wait. The tender pieces of squid were grilled perfectly and covered with a tasty olive oil and butter sauce, which was perfect for dipping the fresh pieces of bread that come with your orders. Next up was the ración, or plate, of fried calamari—absolutely amazing! We washed this all down with glasses of sagardoa, or Basque cider, as we watched Marina, the bartender, take care of her customers and shout out orders to the kitchen crew. Our final plate was a local classic: grilled Guernika peppers sautéed in olive oil and covered with salt. As we enjoyed these tasty treats, one of the staff entered with a basket of fresh peppers for the rest of the night.This place definitely stands out in a city packed with great...

Superb. 2 August 2023. This is definitely my favourite place to eat and drink in Donastia San Sebastián. Excellent food, the tortilla is the best I’ve had in Spain. The squid was fresh and superbly cooked. The beef cheek perfect. And a complimentary dish of grilled peppers. The staff are onto it, friendly and relaxed. The kitchen staff must also receive the best accolades. I have eaten and visited twice. Clearly the locals value this place - during my visits people, especially local women, have come to pick up whole tortillas to go. Beats all those overrated places in the old city. Well priced. All the best to the operators and their team. Highly...

Best tortilla in Donostia, forget about the others. Plenty of people get whole ones takeaway (they’re so sort after they’re even sold in other cafes around town) and that’s exactly what we did on our last day, after having eaten here a couple of times before that. Their other food is also really nice and their prices are really cheap.

Nice service too. One of the guys - tall thin and sort of blond - speaks some English. The others don’t seem to but that’s no worries, with some very basic phrases and pointing you’ll be fine. They are all very welcoming and nice so don’t be intimidated being the...