Okay, we have to admit, we gave it an extra star simply because we spent the night listening to…read moreleprechaun music in Spain. Not that we like leprechaun music but, in Spain? An ersatz Irish pub well out of the tourist lanes Cerveceria Triskel evidently sits well with the locals....music be damned. This neighborhood hangout does a robust business in take-out food. Not something you see everyday. The clientele looks like a cross representation of the local population with the well dressed mixing well with the not so much. There is a generous supply of complimentary tapas to go along with your drink but the light that shines the brightest here are the burgers. We started out with the idea of a simple hamburger but like most simple things our simple burger got out of hand pretty fast. We don't know how we did it but our burger ended up with: A hamburger patty Two layers of goat cheese Tomato Lettuce Onion Lomo Egg And a sesame seed bun All for 7 euros. And the best part was it was delicious. Cervecería Triskel is a blue collar eats place and we will be sure to wear our best blue collar when we return...which we will.

This place is smack in the heart of Gijon's downtown, over looking the beach, and has exceptional…read moreocean views. They are two large bar areas and half of this place turns into a wild Spanish club pumping electronic music on to the beach into the early morning. The decor is very zen-like and the atmosphere will get any lame out of their shell and into party mode! Each bar is loaded with anything you would want and tge drinks are reasonably priced for being downtown and right on the beach. Enjoy the Spanish way of life, the friendly people, soak up the ocean breeze, and let yourself loose if you are in the area. Take a long siesta the next day if you over indulge. Tranquilo.

L'abellgu is my ALL TIME FAVORITE BAR EVER. This place is full of local flavor and is a real…read moreAsturian pub. It's homey with rock and chinking walls and makeshift seating... Were it not for electricity, you might swear you had been transported back in time. This place is timeless. The coolest thing about L'abellugu is the people it attracts. Its a hive Asturian artists, poets, musicians and activists. Over the decades the bar has been a favorite of Celtic- Asturian bands Llan de Cubel and Felpeyu. This is the kind of place where anyone could whip out an instrument at any time and revel patrons with a rousing reel or heart-rending ballad. This is the kind of pub that tourists DREAM of discovering. If you want to rub elbows with locals, this is the place to go. Don't be surprised if you don't understand a word they say, because here everyone speaks Asturianu, the language of Asturias. Everyone speaks Spanish too, but the kind of people who frequent L'abellugu don't WANT to speak the language of the that was thrust upon them by the opressive dictator Franco 40 years ago. It's a sore subject in Asturias. L'abellugu celebrates the local language, music, and culture. They have excellent beers on tap, lots of lovely Whiskeys and kreigs as well. The bathroom is scary, but that's pretty much universally the case in Spain anyway. Go and enjoy, but pee in the street. It's okay, really....

Recently renewed and under the direction of Sergi Arola, this restaurant is a great new option in…read moreSantander. They suggest small plates to share for the table but they also have proper dishes. Good salads with different dressings than just oils and vinegar. Small bites like Bocata de Calamares absolutely delicious. Lubina was awesome, well cooked, crusty skin, gorgeous. Desserts good but maybe not to the same level as the rest of the menu. The views to the beach and ocean are unique.

Compared with other local places, the food is good, served with some class and into a nice…read moreatmosphere, if you go inside. Outside the tables are too close one to another and is hard to stay into a good mood for lunch when the terrace is full. Of course, if you're a noisy type of person, you will not be disturbed by those poor other people who like to eat in a more quite manner. We took the menu offered for lunch (two dishes and desert) and we paid 16 euros each.