Let's take a trip to Chicago of the 1920s...via Santander…read more Although it appears that this place as been around for a while (judging by the review from 2018), Little Bobby's might be a bit of a hidden gem in Santander. A friend of a friend from the U.S. mentioned this place, and none of the Santanderios (around 40yrs of age) that were with us knew about it. Upon crossing the the threshold of the bookcase door, we were immediately transported by to the Prohibition Era of Chicago circa the 1920s...fortunately, without the mobster gangsters from that era. The first thing that I noticed upon entering Little Bobby's (hmm, that sounds weird; just pretend I wrote "upon entering Little Bobby's cocktail lounge") was the blasting air conditioning. Because of that amenity, I immediately fell in love with the cocktail bar...without even having a cocktail. ;) As expected, the cocktail bar/lounge had a very impressive variety of cocktails and top-shelf alcohol brands. I'll give them credit because from my understanding (after visiting Santander 8+ times) folks prefer to consume beer, wine and gin-tonics over multi-ingredient cocktails, so cocktails bars is not a big thing in the city. However, I noticed that a few cocktail bars have sprout up in Santander during our last visit. Perhaps, increased tourism in this area is building a foundation for this particular niche. However, I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but time will tell. Although our time at Little Bobby's was short, because we were spent from a long day of walking around and boozing at other places, I absolutely had a blast in the chill (both figuratively and literally), laidback environment. Overall, service was great although my drink (a Manhattan, which is basically a whiskey martini) took a little longer to prepare compared to other three cocktails that folks in my group ordered. Prices were a bit higher than standard restaurants in the area, but I guess that is to be expected for a place like Little Bobby's. Although the cocktail prices were a bit higher, the end result was somewhat worth it - especially if you want something outside of the typical caña or gin-tonic. I definitely hope to return to Little Bobby's the next time I'm in Santander.

Most things in Santander can be done within 2 days and loses its appeal after. Little Bobby's…read moreSpeakeasy is very different. It's like walking back in time and submerging yourself in old fashioned vibes. The decoration is perfection and spacing and music is smooth. Perfect ambiance for a night out with friends you've known for years and friends you just met. It a place I keep going back to in a town that can be lackluster after a few days.

Since Santander has quite a few small, narrow, and winding streets, there is always a surprise…read more(some bad, mostly good) around each corner. Fortunately for us, Hygge Cocktail was one of these good surprises that we "found" by accident. This cocktail bar/lounge, which I think is a Danish term for fun or taking break from the hustle and bustle of life, is an excellent place to have a few cocktails with friends to start or finish the night. The bar has a nice variety of different cocktails outside of the standard gin tonic. While I was really interested in having a Spanish gin tonic, I decided to have one of Hygge's speciality gin cocktails (which I do not remember) before my standard gin cocktail. From an initial look, the place appears to be geared to a younger crowd (e.g., late 20s). However, I saw a nice range of folks from all ages having late-night cocktails at this lounge. I thought our service was pretty on point. Also, the cocktail prices (for US standards) were pretty generous. While I think this place is somewhat new, I hope it sticks around so I can return during my next trip to Santander to try out more eclectic cocktails.

What a fantastic place to enjoy craft beer in Santander! The selection was wide and service was…read moreattentive. Loved the decor and attention to detail, too. You're in a spot full of locals, so you'll definitely get a good feel of the people and overall vibe of the city. Vale!

Comfortable place right by the roundabout, so stop in, rest your feet, and toss back a couple…read more Friendly service, clean restrooms, good beer and tasty wine. ¡Buen Camino!

Pretty great spot to get a beer and/or a gin cocktail in Cañadio Square. Inside, the bar is pretty…read morespacious; however, the LARGE outdoor patio is where all the action is. Although Bar Canela is pretty popular with locals, the prices are pretty reasonable. Bar Canela is a great place to meetup with friends to start a nice night or to have a night-cap in Santander.

Canela is cool because it's in the Cañadío square…read more They have ample outdoor seating on the weekends, which is perfect for those 3 months out of the year when Santander is warm enough to stand outside. To be fair, the weather has been good this year ;-) . Canela has reasonable wine prices. Expect a glass of Rioja to set you back 1.60. It's main draw is the atmosphere and people watching on the square.

Lucky for anyone who loves a good glass of wine and pintxos (and who doesn't?!), Santander has a…read morevery lively pintxos bar scene. Around 8pm, people start to trickle into the bars to have a glass of wine before dinner. Bodega Cigaleña is one of the most memorable of the pintxos bar - first and foremost, the sign at the door declares it is a "museo del vino". As soon as you enter, you very much feel that you are walking through someone's wine collection. Vintages of Rioja that go back as far as the 1920s decorate the shelves and the slate gives the feeling that you are in a cellar. The decor and the way that the bar zig-zags (it is not one long bar) gives the impression of coziness, privacy as you snag your own little nook, and a non-pretentious atmosphere to enjoy wine. Old people and young people alike choose to hang out here. As for the selection of wine, there is tons of it! Each denominación de origen (Spain's terminology for wine appellations) that surrounds Cantabria was well-represented and whether you wanted a red, white, or rose, there were plenty of choices priced under 3 euro. Silly me, I set a goal of wanting to taste every wine on the list; in reality, I tasted three on my two visits here. The bartender seems to have the power to read minds and always knew when me or one of the other clients was ready to try something new. And then there are the pintxos, which are of just of good a quality as the wine served. The tortilla was perfect and made the "Galician way" - just a little bit raw and softer in the middle. After a glass of wine on an empty stomach, the tortilla was all the more satisfying (and prevented me from becoming very drunk). The anchovy pintxo is just three anchovies served over a slice of bread; not overly impressive, but I think that the lack of flavor and texture of the bread was probably to blame. Bodega Cigaleña was definitely one of the most memorable "food and wine" portions of the trip to Santander. The wine, the food, the service - everything is of very high quality.

They have a selection of inexpensive, high quality wine and a selection of expensive high quality…read morewine. The place is small, bit as it is not as popular anymore, there was no issue finding room. It is not a place I would suggest for finding sates, but it is a nice place for wine and snacks.

Friendly staff and good music. Lots of space outdoors. No food of but good peanuts with your beer.read more

Great place to start and end the night! We always enjoyed this place and they served a lollipop…read morewith the drinks instead of a straw. Ha ha. Cool meeting spot as well.

I'm visiting my daughter who lives in Santander. This was the end of my stay, so the two of us…read moredecided to go out for a nice dinner. This is a fantastic location with great views, but I recommend staying away from the restaurant side. Before our meal, the server walked around with an enormous tray of warm bread and said, "We start with bread here. Would you like some?" We had bread plates in front of us, and we accepted. The meal was delicious. When she brought the bill, it was hidden inside a closed book, and she also stood waiting for payment with the card payment machine in hand. I usually look over my bill, but due to it being higher end and inside the book, with her standing ready for payment, I would've felt awkward, so I paid. I later realized why they did that: once I saw my bill, I discovered we'd been charged for the chunks of bread (€5 each), and for an additional glass of wine. I've been to high end and very high end restaurants around the world, and I've never seen this before at such an establishment.

Our stop here, was pretty special, our tour group picked for us this restaurant for lunch at…read moreSantander. It is located near Queen Victoria Blvd. The location is right on the beach. Was a beautiful view on this beautiful day! They have 2 restrooms, one in the dining room and one in the tavern (one person each). But the staff, saw the women group lining up, came by to let me know, there's more in the tavern side. Our food: Cesar Salad. Was so good! It also came Fresh Hake from Santander, served with tomato sauce, but instead olive oil. (I was given lots of oil on my plate, but the lady - well known world traveler - decided to exchange with mine Hake. We got the Local Cantebrian Dessert. See photos.