DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN - PARTE VIEJA

BAR PACO BUENO

This is a very traditional, social club-style, old-school-style Pintxo bar. Many local families mix with tourists, from the young to the very old. The bar is big on boxing, rugby, and Basque rowing, and the surrounding walls are covered with old memorabilia.

It is run by owner Paco Bueno (who was a boxer in his younger days ) and his sons.

It's lively, entertaining and has a friendly atmosphere.

The specialities are deep-fried seafood like calamares, but the prized dish is the gambas gabardina (deep-fried prawns); you need to wait for them to come up piping hot, but be quick as they are soon snapped up!

Drink with a glass of the local, extravagantly poured Basque sidra.

Gambas gabardina (deep-fried prawns).

The other pintxos are okay but relatively average, so it's best to enjoy the gambas, sidra, or the slightly sparkling local txakoli wine, the friendly atmosphere, and try some other pintxos elsewhere in the old town.