Tapas Bars Barcelona
Tapas Bars are probably the most common form of eatery in Spain. They can be found on virtually any street, and are usually open daily at both meal times and between meals, as they are popular hangout for snacking. The word Tapa originally came from a small, complimentary snack that would be placed on top of a drink in a bar to keep the flies out. Few bars offer this service now, and tapas are ordered as appetizers, separate from the drinks.

Tapas are tiny morsels of food, ranging from pastries, to seafood samples, to olives. There are usually plates of them out on the bar, and these can be bought and eaten as you like while you sip your drink. This is the perfect way to sample different kinds of Spanish foods and specialties while not having to commit to buying an entire meal. Natives also enjoy spending hours in Tapas bars, often chatting and drinking in the evening before heading out for a night on the town.

Tapas come in three sizes: pincho (small, often a bite-sized morsel on a toothpick), tapa (small plate) or racion (a larger, meal-sized portion). If you are alone try various pincho tapas from the bar, or if you're with a bunch of people order a variety of tapa or racion sizes that can be brought to your table.

If there isn't a menu (which is often the case) just point to things that look appealing on the plates on the bar: the bartender will understand and bring you a serving of what you choose. If there is a menu, they are often in Spanish and can be hard to understand. A few of the common dishes include: gambas (shrimp), jamon (ham), pulpo (octopus), croquetas (croquettes), chorizo (sausage) and aceituntas (olives). If you are brave, definitely try the morcilla (blood sausage) or the sesos (cow's brains). Believe it or not, these are tasty snacks and the bold will most likely be rewarded with a new favorite tapa!