Taberna Basaras is a tavern in Casco Viejo, Bilbao. Rated 4.6 stars from 610 Google reviews. Known for counter quality and txakoli selection. Best for pintxos crawl and txikiteo. Ranked #5 of 12 in Casco Viejo.
Taberna Basaras
Zone Ranking
Ranked weekly from live Google review data
in Casco Viejo
Quick Verdict
Locals come back because it's the txikiteo done right: proper pintxos, fair prices, and no tourist markup. You're eating the way Bilbao eats.
Go if you're doing a pintxos crawl through Casco Viejo and want a reliable stop with proper quality.
Skip if you want to sit down, order a full meal, or eat alone without standing at a crowded counter.
About Taberna Basaras
Taberna Basaras is a pintxos bar in the heart of Casco Viejo, which means you'll stand at the counter, pick small plates from the display, eat standing up, and move on. This is txikiteo—the Basque bar-crawl tradition—and Basaras does it properly. The counter's lined with pintxos: anchovy-topped bread, croquetas, grilled peppers, jamón, txuleta bites. You order by pointing or asking the bartender, grab a zurito (small beer) or txakoli wine, and eat in 10 minutes. No tables, no reservations, no lingering. Locals cycle through here during the evening crawl because the quality's consistent and the prices won't trap you. A round of 3-4 pintxos and a drink costs €8–12. The place fills by 7pm on weekdays, packed by 8:30pm on weekends. It's not a restaurant experience—it's the real Basque eating rhythm.
Honest Assessment
Strengths
Counter quality
Pintxos rotate regularly and aren't sitting under heat lamps. The anchovy on bread (boquerones en vinagre) and txuleta bites are made fresh, not prepped hours ahead.
Txakoli selection
They pour proper txakoli—slightly fizzy, bone-dry, perfect with pintxos. €3 a glass, which is standard for Bilbao, not the €6 you'll pay near the waterfront.
Casco Viejo location
On Pilota Kalea, a 2-minute walk from the Cathedral. You can hit 4–5 pintxos bars in an hour without backtracking, and Basaras sits perfectly in the middle of the crawl.
Considerations
Crowded evenings
By 8:30pm on Friday and Saturday, you're fighting for counter space. If you want elbow room, arrive by 7pm or go mid-afternoon (4–6pm).
No seating
Standing-room only. If you're tired, injured, or just prefer to sit, this won't work. But that's the point of a pintxos bar.
We share honest assessments including weaknesses because we believe transparency builds trust.
Signature Dishes
Boquerones en vinagre
€2Anchovy on toasted bread with vinegar. Simple, sharp, the benchmark pintxo. They don't oversoak it.
Txuleta
€3Grilled beef rib bite on bread. Charred crust, tender meat. One bite, gone. Order 2.
Croqueta de jamón
€2Ham croquette, crispy shell, creamy inside. They fry to order, not batched. Eat it warm.
Prices may vary. Based on our last verified menu data.
Practical Information
Contact
Pilota Kalea, 2, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
+34 688 81 56 83Frequently Asked Questions about Taberna Basaras
No. Pintxos bars don't take reservations. Arrive by 7pm on weekdays or 6pm on weekends if you want comfortable counter space. After 8:30pm, expect a queue.
Pintxos bars are counter service, stand-and-eat, small plates you pick from the display. Tapas restaurants have tables and menus. Basaras is a pintxos bar—you stand, you pick, you move on. This is txikiteo.
€10–15 for 3–4 pintxos and a txakoli or zurito. A full crawl of 5 bars costs €40–50 and takes 2 hours. Compare that to €30–40 for one sit-down meal at a tourist restaurant near the waterfront.
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