I loved this teeny tiny little cafe/bar/tapas place. They still do what you'd expect every bar in…read moreSpain to do: serve a small plate (tapas) with every drink. So your Euro doesn't only buy you a small beer or wine but also a small plate of chorizo, some cheese or fried potatoes. They have good coffee for a Euro (cortado) and some cocktails (the classics) too. Very friendly service and a modern, clean interior should have people queueing out the door.

Diego and Esti are incredibly talented and amazing people. They were very hospitable and I was…read morereally impressed with how much care they put into every drink. Extensive knowledge of all sorts of cocktails and can put them together with the best flair I've ever seen! Huge shout out to Pietro as well who was asked to come help for the night and was incredible! Thanks again for an awesome night and helping this first time tourist to Bilbao have a fantastic time! Much love guys and I'll see you again soon!

If you've spent any time in Bilbao, you've come to learn that while the food is excellent, they are…read morenot known for their cocktails. BUT, enter Gin Fizz. This appears to be a one man operation and labor of love. Trained mixologist, Diego, brings heart to every concoction. Well versed in flavor profiles, his drinks are complex, subtle and flavorful. Plus, Diego is just a really sweet guy. If you are in need of something other than the Basque region's fine wines, stop by Gin Fizz. Worth a trip.

This cocktail bar/pub is fantastic to start, spend, end your night. Great service, and amazing…read moreselection of drinks (alcohol), let alone a very impressive wine selection. Very hard to find both at same location.. Food was the big surprise. We found ourselves coming to eat here. The pitu caleyu dorados (think Mexican flautas) are a MUST. I had these every time I had my gin tonic - which was almost nightly! Fun atmosphere, with a patio on the front (main restaurant/plaza view) and private patio in back (covered, lit). Tables inside also can be at the bar area, or more private in the back. Fantastic location to relax and enjoy a drink or meal.

As good as it gets for raw oysters within a 3-mile radius! Coming from Boston, we have oysters ALL…read morethe time but these delicious bivalves made my heart flutter. We shared a few of every variation of oyster they had that day: Cantabra, Gillardeau, Hihna and Tia Maraa. If you're lucky enough to have the Gillardeau available the day you're there, order these. They're meaty, sweet and just perrrrrfect. The local Cantabra ones were quite a surprise. They were unique in that they were super salty in a different way but if you're like me, you need to order at least 1 as it would be a total shame not to try the local version when you're there. The Hihna and Tia Maraa varieties came in as a close second to the Gillardeau - Large, sweet and slightly briny. Highly recommended! Now for the dark horse - The smoked cod (bacalao ahumado) was amazing and NOT to be missed. These flavorful pieces of heaven were accompanied with a mustard and a horseradish cream sauce with a bottle of red pepper flakes. The combo of the sauces, pepper and the cod was divine and elevated it to the next echelon. We wished we still had room to order another smoked fish and at this point regretted that we stuffed ourselves with so many pinchos before ending up here ha! Overall, worth the trip and worth the splurge!

Great place to get a small taste of Santander…read more I came here on the way to another restaurant to get some oysters and a couple of drinks. Well . . . we really came here to get drinks on the way to the other restaurant, but the oysters were a great addition. This place is not as crowded as some of the other places on Calle Pena, which worked well for us because the service was very prompt. Also, this makes the dining experience quite nice, quiet get together. Plus, the waiters/bartenders were really chatty and friendly. As someone from the states, I was really surprised to see that La Mar carried Tabasco sauce as a condiment for the oysters. I do not think that I saw a single bottle of Tabasco at any other point during my trip. The oysters were super cheap and super fresh. Also, the bar carries Tanqueray Rangpur, which is my FAVORITE gin and I was ecstatic to see it because I cannot find it anyway in the NYC.

Incredible cocktail bar, beyond friendly proprietor. Stopped in a few times, had some nice chats,…read moreand the best vermut preparados in town. Adore this spot! Make sure to have some drinks here when in town.

I had mo idea a place like this existed in Bilbao. Mostly classic cocktails to a wise ranging crowd…read moreold and young. It's a deranged railway cars spaces with multi levels and bars. The mist surprising thing is the vast collection of rare Japanese whiskey . Hibiki 30 anyone? It's only 1100€! We stuck with the mow ubiquitous Spanish styled gin & tonics. Next thing we know it's 4am and some chick is way passed out across from us and a dude with a cerveza is surely inter dimensionally traveling based on how he's wobbling around the room

Really fun pub that we were recommended by our hotel bartender. It's surprisingly pretty spacious…read moreand comfy inside, with multiple couches and some tables. I love the cozy, intimate pub atmosphere, and they serve a pretty good gin and tonic. Bathrooms are located upstairs, and there's a vending machine selling cigarettes for those who need a quick fix.

I had the best gin and tonic in all of Spain at this pub-- it was amazing! It's tucked away inside…read morea row of businesses and it transports you into another world. There is a comfortable but mysterious vibe about this pub. It's dark leather chairs and couches are arranged into small seating spaces where you can have an intimate date or bring a group of friends. The bartender was friendly and very knowledgeable. He took time to make the drink and paid attention to the details in the garnish. I was absolutely enthralled by the presentation and flavors of my drink. This pub was recommended to me by my hotel host and I'm so grateful. I wish I had more time in Bilbao so I could go back!

What a fantastic place to enjoy craft beer in Santander! The selection was wide and service was…read moreattentive. Loved the decor and attention to detail, too. You're in a spot full of locals, so you'll definitely get a good feel of the people and overall vibe of the city. Vale!

Excellent cocktails, great ambience, and lovely patio. Spend some time admiring the decor and…read morepeople-watching. One of the best places to whet your whistle the city.

This was a very fun after-dinner bar. Cozy, good music, great drams and cocktails.read more

If you are in Santander, La Radio definitely should be a place on your to-do list. Since a lot of…read morelocals hang out here, you know that the food and cocktails will be top notch. The taverna has an amazing selection of tapas for a decent price. If you get only one thing, you should go with the rabas (fried clam strips) because they are out of this world. Overall the service is pretty nice and efficient. If the place is crowded, you might have to be a little outspoken to get the attention of a waiter or a bartender.

An authentic Spanish local place to eat and particulary to have 'raciones' (plates of food to…read moreshare). I would recommend especially their 'rabas' (fried squid). This one is a typical delicacy from the region and difficult to get good ones and well cooked. Not only these ones are great but also extremely good value. You get an enormous plate to share for just 10 euros (normally these are quite expensive, this is the only place I know where they are so good and at such good value) I would also suggest to try something that you probably have never tried - pigs' ears. I know, it may not sound so apetising, but they are actually delicious! You can see what they are on the 3rd pic I posted. They are served with a spicy red sauce that compliments it perfectly. As you can see, it is another big plate. Another good point is that while you are having a drink or having some 'raciones' you can also eat the food that is served on the counters (for free :). You can get a glass of seafood cream (delicious!), crisps, bread with potato and mayo based salad and tuna on it (you can also see this on the pictures), etc. You actually can have lunch with all these things that are served. The atmosphere is from a typical local place, where the locals meet regularly. However, anyone can fit here, and it is a friendly and casual place to meet with friends for a drink or to eat, or just go on your own and sample some of their food. In any case, whether you are going with people or on your own, this should be a place in your list if you want to 'taste' the real thing ;)

Vermuteka was awesome! Yeah, a bit pricey compared to other places in the city, but it was right in…read morethe mercado and provided a great place to relax and enjoy the vermut. They offered a wide array of vermut cocktails, straight up vermut, and eats. What more could you ask for? While you're at it, step outside and take in the view of the Nervion.