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Koh Tao

4.4 (34 reviews)
InexpensiveCoffee & Tea, Bars
Open • 7:30 am - 10:00 pm

Koh Tao Photos

KOH TAO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Hipster
Moderate noise
Good for working
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Koh Tao

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Reviews With Photos

Our yummy breakfast - cappuccini, pastries and delish tortillas.

We found this nice quick little spot for breakfast. Everything was delicious and what we needed before a day of sightseeing. Friendly service. Hope to go back to San Sebastián soon

Mika negra and a cookie
Jenny S.

Cute coffee shop in an out of the way street. They have a pretty spacious interior with plenty of seating and a few tables set up on the sidewalk. I got a moka negra, the bottom is basically a layer of chocolate. So good! Not very strong coffee flavor, but that's how I like it. BEWARE: €10 MINIMUM CREDIT CARD SPEND. Unfortunately, we did not realize this so we ended up having to buy some bottled waters and a cookie in order to use our credit card. The cookie was a little dry, reminiscent of biscotti but paired well with the coffee.

Fine cappuccino art!!!
Michael O.

I am a coffee snob and always in search of great coffee shops around the world. When I was in San Sebastian/Donostia a couple of years ago, this was my go-to coffee shop both day and night. It has a Chinese theme going, but don't let that detract from you because the coffee and chocolate specialty drinks are primo. This would be considered a hipster place and that's okay, if done right. Get there early if you plan to hang out and chill otherwise you may be without a seat.

The square surrounding Hotel Maria Cristina across the street from the coffee shop.
Ruben S.

Great coffee and ambiance. Plenty of seating with 2 levels of seating inside as well as outdoor seating that overlooks the square surrounding Hotel Maria Cristina. Prices are good and they have small bites to eat. They serve drinks as well with a happy hour Mon-Thurs 5pm to 7pm with beer for €2 and spirits for €3.50.

A pair of Karilljos - 1 black, 1 with milk, both with rum!
Eunice L.

Wow! Fantastic coffee. Thanks to other Yelpers, popped in here to order a pair of Karajillos (4,20 € each) one black, one with milk, both with rum. They know how to do coffee and the place has a fantastic vibe with plenty of seating. Despite them burning off the alcohol earlier, my coffee had a strong kick that had me brave enough to climb a mountain after. Don't want coffee? Good German Munich beer available (Franziskaner spotted) and other beers on tap as well. Order @ the bar, pay when served and grab a seat!

Montage of images from Koh Tao
Ed U.

If you're lucky enough to spend a beautiful day in San Sebastián, this is the eclectic type of hipster-heavy bohemian cafe that you either hope to find as salvation or resign yourself to in a depressed state after a long day climbing up Monte Urgull and winding around the Old Town (Parte Zaharra) and strolling more leisurely in the Gros district. Fortunately it turned out to be the former, as this was the second recommendation I decided to take from the Vagabrothers, a self-absorbed pair of YouTube-addicted travel junkies who sometimes know what they're talking about, this being one of those fortunate instances. Still energized by the youthful vigor of the area despite all the walking we did, Jamie W. and I were feeling a tad parched in the late afternoon but definitely not hungry enough to devour any pinxtos any time soon. Just a couple of blocks away from Parte Zaharra, this café has a relaxing vibe the moment you step in and see all the age-worn wooden furniture and the blow-up of the Asian child on the red brick wall (photo: http://bit.ly/2h9uIpk). There was hardly anyone in here, and even the barista was nowhere to be found for a few minutes. We simply browsed all the olives (photo: http://bit.ly/2hi7G3w) and baked goods that were out in the full open and ready to be devoured (photo: http://bit.ly/2iDgSMf). Not by us though as our American germophobic sensibilities kept questioning the lack of a sneeze guard. We were simply in the mood for Jamie's new addiction, the 1.60€ Kafe kon Lekte, which was smooth and piping hot (photo: http://bit.ly/2hiTY0l). Sitting on the couches next to the front window, we had time to reflect upon the beauty of this region and the laid-back hospitality of its inhabitants. A total chill zone. COFFEE - 4 stars...just the balm we needed at the right time AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...the interior is way cool and chill SERVICE - 3.5 stars...once the barista kicked into gear, things were fine TOTAL - 4 stars...a pit stop that fits the relaxing yet funky vibe that is San Sebastián

Morning Cortados
Bora K.

A friend of ours in San Sebastian told us about Koh Tao knowing our love of cafe culture and delicious Cortados. Koh Tao has a laid back vibe and is a haven for hipsters. They have a variety of drinks which include coffee, smoothies, and alcohol in the evenings as it turns into a bar at night. They serve some pastries and toast with jam in the mornings and around 11 a.m. or so, bring out a Tortilla de Patatas and some small sandwiches with Jamon. The Cortados are a tad milky but tasty nonetheless and it's nice to sit back with a cup and people watch. Service is friendly. Recommended.

Mocha

Cozy ambiance, great place to pop in for a cafe. The service is friendly and there's a tortilla and huge bowl of olives on the counter that I totally missed until we were leaving. My latte was okay. The mocha was a bit too sweet.

Pineapple J.

I come here everyday when visiting. Friendly, they are patient with English speakers, and everything is delicious!

Carajillo, coffee with rum

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10 days ago

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6 months ago

Good coffee, fine service, and most importantly open after 7 pm for pre-pintxos caffeine.

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1 year ago

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7 years ago

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12 years ago

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9 years ago

Cute little coffee shop. I had a delicious cafe con leche and yummy toast. Would recommend.

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

Cozy little coffee shop with great prices and also free wifi. The espresso and latté were perfect and we will be back for sure!

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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12 years ago

this is a cozy place to get a coffee and escape the rain. The fruit juices here are really nice too.

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Koh Tao Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Koh Tao

“I enjoyed sitting in this cool little coffee shop surrounded by strangers I couldn't understand.”

Mentioned in 5 reviews

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Antonio Bar - Shrimp ravioli

Antonio Bar

4.5(32 reviews)
0.3 km
•€

You've seen this spot all over social media when searching for popular food destinations in San…read moreSebastian-Donostia, and I can concur that the best Tortilla Española is found here. (Yes, we've tried other pintxo bars as well) Locals and tourists line up daily for this breakfast of Champions. Only a certain number of Tortillas are made daily, and when they're gone, they're gone. We were in San Sebastian the first week of May which is kinda like their shoulder season for tourists, so we had no problem on missing out.(Best time to come is between 8:30am-11am according to one of the workers)Trust me, one portion IS NOT ENOUGH , so follow this pro tip and get yourself TWO ORDERS. Simple ingredients, big flavors of the caramelized onions, potatoes, and green peppers seasoned perfectly with salt and binded with just the right amount of eggs(30 per tortilla) just HEAVEN! Oh, but don't stop there. Get what they call their Classics. Four of their most popular pintxos. I remember the Crispy Oxtail, and the scallop pintxo, but can't remember the other two. Ambiance is noisy and vibrant, service is quick and pleasant, and this is one pintxo bar you may find yourself returning to time and time again.(We went four out of the 5 days we were here.) *see Mark Wiens San Sebastian YouTube video to see how the time consuming tortilla is made

On a food tour with Culinary Backstreets in San Sebastian, we are headed to Bar Antonio near the…read morebeach for an absolute gem. The local guides words. We sat outside near the square under the umbrellas and watching people. Our guide prepped us on the history and story of this stop. The city and setting are beautiful. We are excited to explore this idyllic town in the northwestern corner of Spain. One dish, one stop on an evening of many favorite pintxos in the area. Luckily, we are walking from stop to stop so we don't develop the pintxos pooch. To our table is delivered a wedge of what looks like an omelet or pie. The guide explains this is no ordinary omelet but a world renowned "best Spanish omelet". He was absolutely correct. The light, juicy, savory and fluffy Spanish omelet is delicious. There is a sweetness from the peppers and carmelized onions, yet a perfect marriage of flavors. It have great moistness, yet not soupy. If you are entertaining for brunch or breakfast, go to Google and watch the video on how this is done at this spot and in this city. I have said in the past that I could easily skip breakfast, but if this was on the menu, I would have to rescind that statement. To the chefs at Antonio, great job and thanks for showing me what a great omelet is.

Photos
Antonio Bar - Menu

Menu

Antonio Bar - Scallop Pintxo

Scallop Pintxo

Antonio Bar - Scallops

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Scallops

La Gintoneria

La Gintoneria

4.6(12 reviews)
0.4 km
•€€€

A perfect stop for wonderful cocktails. Located in a local neighborhood very close to the main…read morewalking area. This out-of-the-way bar offers a wonderful seating area outside, and a beautiful bar and seating area inside. Very pleasant vibe with mixologists hard at work behind the bar serving up a wide variety of cocktails and mocktails. There is no food at this location but little munchies are provided along with your drink orders. Drinks are premium so pricing can be more than what you would expected typical bars of the city. Frustrating This bar is open only during evening hours. Check their website for any changes. Highly recommend that you stop in for one of their beautifully prepared drinks that are exceptionally refreshing.

We stopped by the Gintoneria when we visited San Sebastian in 2018. It was a really fun place with…read morea nice patio. They specialize in fancy gin cocktails. The staff and other patrons were really friendly during our visit in 2018. 2023 UPDATE: We decided to stop here again in August 2023, but unfortunately the place was disappointing. We were seated on the patio, surrounded by chain smokers. I know...I know. That's how it is in a lot of European cities. I get it, and I could have tolerated it for a bit, except that the service was horrible too. Nothing like our previous visit when we were greeted by friendly people. This time it seemed as though they didn't care to be bothered to serve anyone. I don't know if it was an off night. Either way, we left not long after arriving. It may be a post-pandemic thing, where people are overworked and tired. Hopefully it will improve as time goes on.

Photos
La Gintoneria - Outdoor seating

Outdoor seating

La Gintoneria - Jesus

Jesus

La Gintoneria - Menu

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Menu

GU - Twilight interior/exterior view at GU

GU

4.3(4 reviews)
0.3 km
•€€

What a beautiful set up here. We were lucky enough to grab 2 seats on the on top floor inside…read morefacing the sunset. It had an awesome view. San sebastian is a unique oceanfront city and this is the perfect place to enjoy it. Come here before the crowds take all the seats. There aren't a ton of seats either. They have some spots for bigger groups as well but it is not a massive place. I really enjoyed it here. The service was good as well. The waitress was attentive and friendly. Would definitely come back for the view alone. We didnt get fancy drinks but they had a good selection. Come check it out!

GU is a brand-new restaurant, cocktail bar, nightclub that open a few months ago at the second…read morefloor of the historic Club Nautico in San Sebastián. Located next to City Hall, on the waterfront, the 1930s Art Deco style building offers spectacular bay views. In fact, if you sit at a waterfront table, you'll think you're on a boat. The establishment was created by the same team behind the highly successful and popular Atari Gastroteka nearby in the town's Old Quarter. Their theme for GU -- "Music, Gastronomy, Architecture." The staff is professional and friendly. The cocktails are excellent. The sound system is state of the art. The building is an architectural gem. The drink menu is quite diverse featuring a dozen different custom cocktails. The mixologists in San Sebastián take their jobs seriously. The "El Diablo" is their spicy take on a classic margarita with ginger beer adding the zing. The GU Mule is their version of a classic Moscow Mule. The food includes a limited but well designed selection of sushi and pan-Asian selections presented in an artful style. GU straddles the line between restaurant, bar, cocktail lounge, and night club. Unlike many of San Sebastian's bars, it does not offer food at the bar -- only at the tables. The interior decor is quite edgy, with expansive glass sliding window walls, huge skylight, and comfortable Eames-style leather seating. The life-size cardboard cutouts of Le Corbusier (nude) and Mies van der Rohe (suited) in the men's roof are comical. Definitely worth checking out for a relaxed light meal and a few drinks while taking in one of San Sebastián's beautiful sunsets.

Photos
GU - The view from GU during sunset

The view from GU during sunset

GU
GU - The bar at GU

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The bar at GU

Koh Tao - coffee - Updated October 2026

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