Diners' Choice: Spanish restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Spanish cuisine in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

PintxoPote

5.0

5 (506)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Los Gatos

About the restaurant

Bienvenidos a PintxoPote! (pronounced 'pincho potay') a pintxos (tapas) bar offering a dining experience showcasing the range of traditional flavors typical of the Basque country in Northern Spain. Here, you will be transported to the world's most acclaimed culinary region: the seaside resort of San Sebastián, a region whose cuisine is distinguished by the excellence of the ingredients and the simplicity in cooking techniques.

Pintxo Pote is the only place in the SF Bay area that offers a current expression of authentic pintxos.

Top review

Coletta

Dined 3 days ago

This is our favorite place in the area! The variety of flavors is outstanding. We like all of the items on the menu but specifically cold pinxos. Sometimes they have seasonal dishes like peppers or toast with tomato and those are amazing! Food is very consistently great and we leave very satisfied and happy every time! We bring all our guests and friends here and always have memorable experience.

Abrazo

4.8

4.8 (565)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Russian Hill

About the restaurant

Welcome to Abrazo! We are a neighborhood restaurant nestled in the historic and beautiful Russian Hill neighborhood. Chef/Owner Michael Pawliks menu features contemporary Spanish-Californian inspired cuisine, sourcing only the freshest and most traditional ingredients. Abrazo features a lofty 18ft ceiling, a cozy bar, and a private dining room that seats 16. The wine list features the best of Spain's legendary wine regions alongside Napa Valley classics.

We hope to see you soon!

Top review

Cooper

Dined 2 days ago

Abrazo was an excellent experience. The staff was attentive and transparent with portion sizes/any questions we asked. Had this place on my list for quite some time! We had the roasted carrots, croquetas, and bone marrow to start. The croquetas were the best I’ve ever had; we ordered another round after we had finished the main. The bone marrow was exquisite as well—think of an elevated garlic bread on crostini. The heirloom carrots were very good, but a bit expensive for the 8 small carrots you get. We shared the seafood paella as the main course and it was also delicious. Not as flavorful as the apps in my opinion, but still a very well constructed portion with quality seafood & appearance. We drank espresso martinis and one of the best dirty martinis I’ve had (it was almost buttery). For dessert, we had the flan which was the perfect few bite treat to end a satisfied group of 3. Would eat here again—so much more on the menu I’d like to try and I live close!

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4.8

4.8 (182)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Mission District

About the restaurant

Owners Luis Raga and Raul Aguilera brings you their vision of a casual bar/restaurant in Spain: a fun and unpretentious spot to gather friends, family, or dates. We bring you flavors from all over Spain, the concept is tapas and paellas to be shared at the table. You'll see dishes come on and off the menu often and while we offer a broad selection of dishes, due to our small kitchen, certain tapas will run out during the service. Don’t miss our Happy hour Mon-Fri 5-6pm ONLY on BAR & HIGH TOPS for heavily discounted tapas and drinks.
Also, make sure to check our back patio, it will transport you to a warm summer night of the south of Spain.
If driving street parking could be tricky, check out the SF general hospital parking structure just 2 blocks away from the restaurant. If coming from the East Bay or Peninsula location is just a few blocks from the freeway (exit Cesar Chavez/Potrero on the 80 freeway). The nearest Bart station is at Potrero & 24th, a 15-minute walk.

Top review

Lance

Dined 3 days ago

Outstanding restaurant with great service. We had such a wonderful time!

Canela Bistro Bar

4.8

4.8 (1611)

$31 to $50

Spanish

The Castro

About the restaurant

Take a trip to Spain without your passport! Established in 2011, Canela's Spanish and California cuisine has been drawing in locals and visitors alike. Crafted with a mix of ingredients and wines imported from Spain as well as California's bounty, Canela's mix of tapas and paella is made to please. Mat Schuster, Canela’s executive chef, has dedicated his life to creating sophisticated and unforgettable flavors with you in mind. Honored to be awarded a Certified Restaurant from Spain by the Spanish Trade Commission, we offer over 75 bottles of unique wine from Spain, some that you will only find here. Whether you want to have a formal dinner, casual tapas, small plates, paella, glass of wine, and homemade dessert, come to Canela and be assured that you will find what you are looking for.

Top review

SamanthaVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent all around. Will definitely be going back again and again.

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Paella & Tapas Experience

Bravas Bar de Tapas

4.7

4.7 (2914)

$30 and under

Spanish

Healdsburg

About the restaurant

Bravas serves traditional Spanish dishes along with tapas-style dining and has been named in the Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants in 2013, 2014, 2015, & 2022 by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bravas offers a large selection of local and Spanish wines, sangrias and Spain inspired cocktails that will not only quench your thirst but will complement your food perfectly and authentically.

Top review

Michael

Dined 2 days ago

This restaurant is always consistent with their food and service and it is very affordable for the quality.

COQUETA - San Francisco

4.7

4.7 (3497)

$50 and over

Spanish

Financial District / Embarcadero

About the restaurant

Brought to you by Award Winning Chef Michael Chiarello and located at Pier 5 on the bustling San Francisco Waterfront, Coqueta is inspired by the cuisines of Spain. Chef Chiarello feels that Spain’s signature ‘small plates’ coupled with the social vibrancy of their dining scene is the perfect combination for San Francisco, which has its own deep-rooted history with the country. Focusing on regional dishes from Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country and beyond, the menu will feature Chiarello's interpretation of traditional Spanish cuisine and, as has always been his tradition, will highlight the bounty of fresh, local ingredients from land and sea.

Coqueta means “flirt” or “infatuation” in Spanish, and represents Michael Chiarello and his team’s exploration and interpretation of Spanish Cuisine, wine and inspired cocktails, while highlighting the bounty of Northern California.

Top review

SharonVIP

Dined 4 days ago

The sangria is delicious Paella was the best A favorite always

Telefèric Barcelona - Palo Alto

4.5

4.5 (2817)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

Telefèric Barcelona doors were first opened thirty years ago in Barcelona, Spain. Now, our passionate teams in Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, Los Gatos and Los Angeles have grown to include some of the world’s most creative and innovative chefs and mixologists, and are eager to share the Spanish culture and gastronomy with you. Come visit us for a degustation of the Best Spanish Tapas in the Bay, Innovative paellas, and refreshing hand-crafted cocktails. Dare to enjoy a fun and unique dining experience surrounded by Modern European decor and lively ambiance.

Top review

Maria

Dined 5 days ago

Dinner at Teleferic was very nice. The food was outstanding as well as our cocktails! However entertainment "energy" prevented my friend and I to enjoy a conversation.

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4.5

4.5 (1371)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Berkeley

About the restaurant

La Marcha Tapas Bar, located in Berkeley, California, is a culinary gem led by Chef Sergio Monleon and Chef Emily Sarlatte. Known for its innovative Spanish cuisine, La Marcha offers signature paella dishes and a variety of delightful tapas. The restaurant has earned accolades including listed in the Michelin Guide, Best of the Bay awards, and recognition among the top 5 Spanish restaurants by several publications. Situated near landmarks such as UC Berkeley and BAMPFA, it boasts a cozy, rustic atmosphere perfect for any occasion. Committed to community service, Chef Sergio, Chef Emily, and the team actively participate in local and global charitable initiatives. Join us at La Marcha Tapas Bar for an unforgettable dining experience that celebrates the vibrant flavors and culture of Spain.

Top review

paulVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Really authentic & very well prepared & served Spanish tapas & paellas. Selection of paellas is especially fantastic

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Telefèric Barcelona - Los Gatos

4.6

4.6 (1842)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Los Gatos

About the restaurant

Telefèric Barcelona doors were first opened thirty years ago in Barcelona, Spain. Now, our passionate teams in Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, Los Angeles and Los Gatos have grown to include some of the world’s most creative and innovative chefs and mixologists, and we are eager to share our culture and gastronomy with you. It is a great pleasure to offer you a degustation of our best Spanish tapas, exquisite paellas and hand-crafted cocktails! Let us create a unique and fun dining experience for everyone to enjoy! Muchas gracias!

Top review

GeoffVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Outstanding meal. The food was fantastic and the service was top-notch. Very attentive staff who managed our table perfectly. Highly recommended!!!

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Telefèric Barcelona - Walnut Creek

4.6

4.6 (3750)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Walnut Creek

About the restaurant

Telefèric Barcelona doors were first opened thirty years ago in Barcelona, Spain. Now, our passionate team has grown to include some of the world’s most creative and innovative chefs and mixologists, and are eager to share the Spanish culture and gastronomy with you. Come visit us for a degustation of the Best Spanish Tapas in the Bay, Innovative paellas, and refreshing hand-crafted cocktails. Dare to enjoy a fun and unique dining experience surrounded by a high-end European decor and lively ambiance.

Top review

Dean

Dined 4 days ago

Wonderful food with imaginative new takes on longtime dishes, like yesterday’s gazpachito snacks ,, Always a real pleasure

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Experience

Executive Menu

Experience

Olé! Flamenco & Tapas Night

Experience

El Born

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