Where are the best pintxo bars in Bilbao's old town?

Plaza Nueva has two from this guide: Sorginzulo, named Best Pintxo Bar in Bizkaia in 2025, and Restaurante Víctor Montes with its long pintxo bar. Aitaren Boulevard is close by, opposite the Arriaga Theatre. The other three are across the river in Abando.

Do I need a reservation for pintxos in Bilbao?

El Globo does not accept reservations, so you simply walk in and order at the bar. The other listings here do not mention booking. Pintxo bars generally work on a stand-and-order basis, which suits moving between a few of them in one evening.

What is the oldest pintxo bar on this list?

Café Iruña, which opened in 1903 and was declared a Unique Monument in 1980. La Viña del Ensanche dates from 1927 and keeps its original furniture, and Aitaren Boulevard has a restored 1920s-style interior. Víctor Montes on Plaza Nueva is described as a historic institution too.

Bilbao Restaurants From TikTok: A Pintxo Route Through Six Bars

Every place on this page comes from one creator's guide to the best pintxos in Bilbao, and each comes with a specific order: the ox croquette, a pintxo moruno, txangurro, jamón, teriyaki mushrooms, rabas. They are restaurants with pintxo bars rather than places of one cuisine, and several are old. Café Iruña opened in 1903, La Viña del Ensanche in 1927, and Aitaren Boulevard keeps a restored 1920s interior.

The six fall into two clusters. Plaza Nueva in the old town holds Sorginzulo and Restaurante Víctor Montes, with Aitaren Boulevard nearby, opposite the Arriaga Theatre. Across the river in Abando, El Globo and La Viña del Ensanche are next door to each other on Calle Diputación, and Café Iruña faces the Jardines de Albia. Aitaren is priced as expensive; the rest are moderate.

Written from public posts on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Updated Oct 2026.

Where creators go

Café IruñaRestaurant
Café Iruña, open since 1903, is all glazed tiles, murals and Mudéjar-inspired decor, facing the Jardines de Albia. It was declared a Unique Monument in 1980 and named Best Café in Spain in 2000. The order is the pintxo moruno, the skewer it is famous for, and the creator calls the place a long-standing favorite.
La Viña del EnsancheRestaurant
La Viña del Ensanche on Calle Diputación has been open since 1927 and keeps its original furniture. It is the creator's favorite stop for jamón pintxos, made with acorn-fed Iberian ham. The listing also names a dish of egg, foie, mushrooms and potato puree, and the Michelin Guide recommends it.
SorginzuloRestaurant
Sorginzulo on Plaza Nueva won Best Pintxo Bar in Bizkaia in 2025, according to its listing. The creator always recommends it for rabas, calling them the best in Bilbao. Tortilla de patata and bacalao al pil pil are the other signatures, and the bar works as a meeting point in the old town.
El GloboStreet Food Stall
El Globo on Calle Diputación is a busy, casual pintxo bar with a wide spread on the counter. The creator's picks are the txangurro pintxo and an award-winning aged beef pintxo. It takes no reservations, so plan to stand at the bar and move on.
Restaurante Víctor MontesRestaurant
Restaurante Víctor Montes on Plaza Nueva is a classic Bilbao institution with a long pintxo bar, txuleton beef and a vintage wine cellar. Its listing ties it to the agreement behind the Guggenheim project. The creator recommends the teriyaki mushrooms and praises the setting on the square.
Aitaren BoulevardFine Dining
Aitaren Boulevard on Areatza Kalea, opposite the Arriaga Theatre, specializes in grilled ox and beef, with a gourmet burger side to the menu, in a restored 1920s room. The creator highly recommends the ox croquette. It is the only place on this page priced as expensive.

What to order where

Sorginzulo, Plaza Nueva: rabas.
Restaurante Víctor Montes, Plaza Nueva: teriyaki mushrooms.
Aitaren Boulevard, opposite the Arriaga Theatre: the ox croquette.
El Globo, Calle Diputación: the txangurro pintxo or the aged beef pintxo.
La Viña del Ensanche, next door: jamón pintxos.
Café Iruña, by the Jardines de Albia: the pintxo moruno.

Good to know

The creator's guide gives one order per place: rabas at Sorginzulo, teriyaki mushrooms at Víctor Montes, the ox croquette at Aitaren Boulevard, txangurro or aged beef at El Globo, jamón at La Viña del Ensanche and the pintxo moruno at Café Iruña.