Artola

What a local gem!!! You won't find this place in the over hyped tourist area of old town, rather a 15 min walk where the locals eat, and the pinxtos were some of the best in San Sebastian. Not to mention their basque cheesecake rivaled, if not surpased the well known cheesecake at La Vina, but without the long que. Jose and Ainhoa, a married couple who own and run this pinxtos bar, greet you as if they were welcoming you into their home. You can feel the love and care they put into all the food they make. We went multiple nights because the food kept us coming back. Jose works the front of the bar and Ainhoa does the cooking. The sangria, roasted spider crab on a crostini, spicy chorizo, fried anchovies with a delicatable sauce, and their take on chicken cordon bleu pinxtos were the standouts! Don't forget their creamy basque cheesecake to finish. Bring cash as it is as a CASH ONLY spot. I promise, you won't leave disappointed, only dreaming to return.

The best pintxos I had in San Sebastian. They’re made fresh on the spot, so they’re always delicious and full of flavor. There’s a wide selection of both hot and cold pintxos. Great local wine and very reasonable prices.

A lucky find as we arrived in Donostia turned into the best place we ate at and we even returned the same day. Really great selection of pintxos that kept growing even as we were there. Almost all involved an extra magic touch in the kitchen after your selected them and they came out shining. Having tried 6 or 7 different ones, my favorites were the shrimp and bacon fried brocheta and the mash potatoes/roast jamon plate. This will be a must whenever I make the difficult trek back to Donostia, as I sadly didn't have enough room in my stomach to try the tarta de queso before my bus.

A local place away from the touristic old town but worth the trek. I visited late on a Wednesday as it was near my hotel and the place was almost closing but the owner and lady (partner?) in the kitchen were still able to accommodate me. The food was delicious, my favourite being the ham hock and mashed potato pictured. It is a local place and I got by with my basic Spanish but approach with this in mind and you'll enjoy the food which offers a different array to the places in the old town. As others mentioned, the place only accepts cash but there is an ATM 2 minutes away.

Lovely cosy local bar with decent pintxo, good quality, fresh, not overcooked, mostly traditional, reasonable and unfancy. I love that they heat up the pintxo for you and I can order sidra by the glass here .... Cash only! The couple running the place are lovely and warm.... it's brilliant that you can easily find table space here most of the time and there is a constant stream of local people dropping in through the night. You don't feel rushed or swamped by people and can slowly enjoy your drink/food without a horde of tourists milling around staring at you ready to take your place.

Super choice for snacks dinner and drinks at the bar.. very nice friendly atmosphere and really good food!

The best pintxos in Basque region. Food was fresh, authentic, tasty and delicious. Owners friendly, welcoming and provided great service. You can tell food makes with love.

If you want a traditional experience and great food at a great price go here. Staff very lovely even with the fact we spoke zero Spanish/Basque. Come with cash though no credit card.

Small, cozy, pinxtos/tapas bar in San Sebastián operated by husband and wife. Very popular with the locals in the neighborhood. My wife and I, as visitors to town, were treated like new friends. Great selection of freshly-made pintxos/tapas to go with our beer, sidra, or wine. A really marvelous and memorable alternative to the over-priced bars (with their unmotivated servers) that we frequently found in the more popular Parte Vieja neighborhood of the city.