How to order tapas and drinks in Spanish
The lines that get you served, fed and out of a busy bar in Spain, how to say each one, and the customs that go with them.
To order at a bar in Spain, catch the bartender with “Perdona”, then say “Ponme una caña” (a small beer) or, for a group, “¿Nos pones dos cañas?”. Ask “¿Qué tenéis de tapa?” to hear the food, order “una ración para compartir” to share, and pay at the end with “¿Me cobras?”.
How do you get the bartender’s attention in Spain?
Say “Perdona” (per-DO-na) and catch their eye. In a loud, packed bar, “Oye” (hey) or “¡Por aquí!” (over here) is normal too, and nobody takes it as rude.
Spanish bars are loud and fast, and the staff expect you to speak up. The English habit of waiting quietly to be noticed usually means waiting a long time. Perdone and disculpe are formal versions of perdona. They suit a smart restaurant or an older waiter, but at a counter they can sound stiff.
| Say | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Perdona per-DO-na | The everyday “excuse me” to a bartender or waiter |
| Oye OH-ye | “Hey”, to be heard in a noisy bar. Informal, not rude |
| ¡Por aquí! por a-KEE | “Over here!”, when you are not at the counter |
| cuando puedas KWAN-do PWE-das | “When you can”, to a busy bartender |
| Disculpe dees-KOOL-pe | The formal “excuse me”, for a smart restaurant |
All but the last use tú, the informal “you”. In Spain, bar staff and customers use tú with each other almost all the time, so you can too.
How do you order a drink in Spanish?
Say “Ponme…” (serve me) and name the drink: “Ponme una caña, por favor.” For a group, one person orders for everyone with “¿Nos pones…?”, for example “¿Nos pones tres cañas?”
Ponme is the standard way to order at a counter in Spain. English speakers often worry that it sounds bossy. It does not. Quiero una caña (I want a small beer) is normal too. The textbook quisiera (I would like) is correct, but it belongs in a smart restaurant or on the phone. In a Spanish bar, a friendly tone does the polite work, so a warm “Ponme una caña” beats a perfect, stiff sentence.
When a waiter takes a table’s order, each person answers in turn with para mí (for me): “Para mí, una caña.” To order for someone else, swap in para ella (for her) or para él (for him).
| Drink | What you get |
|---|---|
| una caña OO-na KA-nya | A small glass of draught beer. The size changes by region, but it is small on purpose, so it stays cold |
| un doble oon DO-ble | A bigger draught beer, about twice a caña |
| un tercio oon TER-thyo | A 330 ml bottle of beer |
| un botellín oon bo-te-YEEN | A small 200 ml bottle, also called un quinto |
| una sin OO-na SEEN | An alcohol-free beer, short for sin alcohol |
| una clara OO-na KLA-ra | Beer mixed with lemon soda |
| un tinto oon TEEN-to | A glass of red wine. The house red is cheap and usually fine |
| un tinto de verano oon TEEN-to de be-RA-no | Red wine with lemon soda, over ice |
| un vermut de grifo oon ber-MOOT de GREE-fo | Vermouth on tap, the Madrid drink for a Sunday midday |
Is the tapa free in Spain?
Sometimes. In Granada, Jaén, Almería and León, a free tapa usually comes with each drink. Many Madrid bars put down olives or crisps. In Barcelona and on much of the coast, you pay for tapas.
The free tapa is a local custom, not a national rule, and it changes from bar to bar. Where it is the norm, you pay for the drink and the tapa arrives with it. In Granada it is often a real plate of food. It usually comes with soft drinks too, but not with coffee. In Almería you are often handed a list and choose your own tapa (a elegir). Where the custom is weaker, you will still often get something small para picar (to nibble) with your drink.
- ¿Qué tenéis de tapa? KE te-NAYS de TA-pa: what do you have as a tapa?
- ¿Ponéis tapa con la bebida? po-NAYS TA-pa kon la be-BEE-da: do you give a tapa with the drink?
- para picar pa-ra pee-KAR: something to nibble
What is the difference between a tapa, a pincho and a ración?
Portion size. A tapa is a small bite, a media ración is a half plate, and a ración is a full plate for three or four people to share. A pincho is a bite on bread, often held with a stick.
| Word | What it is |
|---|---|
| una tapa | A small bite, often with a drink |
| un pincho | A bite on bread, often on a stick. Spelled pintxo in the Basque Country |
| media ración ME-dya ra-THYON | A half plate, good on a bar crawl |
| una ración OO-na ra-THYON | A full plate to share between three or four |
Ordering one ración each is the classic visitor mistake. Order one or two for the table, para compartir (to share), then add more. On a bar crawl, half plates let you eat a little at each stop. In San Sebastián and Bilbao, pintxos are often laid out along the counter: ask before you take one, keep track of what you had, and pay at the end. Some bars count the sticks.
The dishes you will see on almost every board:
- la tortilla tor-TEE-ya: Spanish potato omelette. Good tortilla runs out, so order it early.
- las bravas BRA-bas: fried potatoes with a spicy sauce.
- las croquetas kro-KE-tas: croquettes, often made with ham.
- el jamón ha-MON: cured ham. The j is a rasp in the throat, not an English j.
- los pimientos de Padrón pee-MYEN-tos de pa-DRON: small fried green peppers.
- las gambas al ajillo GAM-bas al a-HEE-yo: prawns in hot garlic oil.
To ask about a dish, use ¿Qué lleva? (what is in it?) or ¿Qué me recomiendas? (what do you recommend?). For allergies, say Soy alérgico a… if you are a man and Soy alérgica a… if you are a woman.
What will the bartender say to you?
Mostly short questions: what can I get you, anything to eat, anything else. Knowing five of them is enough to follow a whole order.
| You hear | It means |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué te pongo? | What can I get you? (¿Qué os pongo? to a group) |
| ¿Algo de comer? | Anything to eat? |
| ¿Para aquí o para llevar? | For here or to take away? |
| ¿Algo más? | Anything else? Answer “Nada más, gracias” |
| Son dieciocho con cincuenta | That is 18.50. Prices are often said with con |
When glasses are nearly empty, someone at the table asks ¿Pedimos otra? (shall we get another round?). To the bartender, “Otra ronda, por favor” or simply “Lo mismo” (the same again) does it.
How do you ask for the bill at a bar in Spain?
Say “¿Me cobras?” (me KO-bras, can I pay?) or “¿Cuánto te debo?” (what do I owe you?). In a bar you pay once, at the end, not per drink, and the bartender keeps count.
La cuenta, por favor is understood everywhere and is the norm at a restaurant table, where nobody brings the bill until you ask: ¿Nos traes la cuenta? At a bar counter, locals say ¿me cobras? For a group, ask for todo junto (all together) or por separado (separately). Many groups in Spain pay the total together and split it evenly.
- ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? PWE-do pa-GAR kon tar-HE-ta: can I pay by card? Most bars take contactless, even for one coffee. Some kiosks and market stalls want cash.
- Quédate con el cambio KE-da-te kon el KAM-byo: keep the change.
Tipping is small in Spain. At a bar, rounding up or leaving a coin or two is normal, more so if you ate. Nobody expects 15 percent. Sitting outside can cost more: many bars charge extra for the terraza, and the menu should show it.
What does a whole round sound like?
Like this. Every line below is ordinary Spanish you could say tonight in a Madrid bar.
- YouPerdona, ¿nos pones dos cañas y un vermut de grifo?Excuse me, can we get two small beers and a vermouth on tap?
- BartenderAhora mismo. ¿Algo de comer?Right away. Anything to eat?
- YouSí, una de bravas para compartir y media de croquetas.Yes, a plate of bravas to share and a half plate of croquettes.
- Bartender¿Algo más?Anything else?
- YouDe momento, nada más, gracias.Nothing else for now, thanks.
- LaterPerdona, ¿me cobras? Todo junto.Excuse me, can I pay? All together.
- BartenderSon dieciocho con cincuenta.That is 18.50.
- You, to friendsVenga, nos vamos al siguiente.Right, on to the next one.
Is bar Spanish different in Mexico?
Yes. Caña, ponme and the vosotros form are Spain. In a Mexican cantina you might ask for una chela (a beer, informal), get free botanas (snacks) with a round, and a 10 to 15 percent tip is expected.
| Spain | Mexico |
|---|---|
| una caña | una cerveza, or una chela with friends |
| la tapa | la botana |
| ¿Qué os pongo? | ¿Qué les traigo? |
| ¿Me cobras? | ¿Nos cobras? or La cuenta, por favor |
For more of the everyday words that change between the two, see Spanish phrases people actually say in Spain.
Where does Tapas Talk fit?
Tapas Talk started when my wife wanted to learn Spanish. I took an early version on our trip to Madrid to watch how she really used it, a lot of the time in a queue for tapas. Its Bars & Tapas chapter is this guide as 34 words and lines over three levels: getting served, food and more drinks, and paying and moving on.
You say each line out loud and get a score out of 100, letter by letter, with one sentence on what to change. Pick Spain or Mexico and Latin America, and the guides and scores follow your pick. Every chapter is open for your first seven days, with no account and no card. After that, the opening chapters stay free and one payment unlocks the rest. There is no subscription. If you only need ten lines for one weekend, the tables above are enough.
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to say “ponme” in a Spanish bar?
No. Ponme (serve me) is the standard way to order at a bar counter in Spain. A friendly tone does the polite work, and you can add por favor if you like.
How do you ask for the bill in Spanish?
At a bar, say ¿Me cobras? (can I pay?). At a restaurant table, say ¿Nos traes la cuenta, por favor? La cuenta, por favor works everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
What is a caña?
A caña is a small glass of draught beer. The size changes by region, and it is small on purpose so the beer stays cold. For a bigger draught beer, ask for un doble.
Are tapas free in Spain?
Only in some places. In Granada, Jaén, Almería and León a free tapa usually comes with each drink. Many Madrid bars give olives or crisps. In Barcelona and on much of the coast, you pay for tapas.
Do you tip in bars in Spain?
Not much. Rounding up or leaving a coin or two is normal at a bar, especially if you ate. There is no fixed rule and nobody expects 15 percent.
Should you use tú or usted with bar staff in Spain?
Use tú. In Spanish bars, staff and customers use tú with each other almost all the time. Keep usted for a formal restaurant or an older person.