Txori
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: (206) 204-9771
01/05/2008 Posted by dmw100
Most of the complaints from earlier reviews are about the things that make Txori a truly authentic experience. If you don't want to experience a traditional San Sebastian pintxos bar, then don't go. But if you're looking to get a taste of a real pintxos bar with great food, this is it. Go to San Sebastian, and you'll discover that all the pintxos bars are tiny. Everyone stands and jostles their way up to the bar and things are chaotic - that's what makes it so fun! Txori is actually much less chaotic and crowded than a typical pintxos bar, which is probably more suited to American expectations. I love how you can eat standing at the bar, watch the chefs, and just order whatever looks good (you can't go wrong - it's all great). If you're expecting large plates, don't go. The small bites are just like what you'd find in San Sebastian. Normally, you'd go to several bars throughout the evening trying only a couple bites at each place, but we've got just one bar. Luckily Txori has plenty of options so you can assemble a meal by ordering several. As for the comments below about the "disgusting" napkins all over the floor, consider yourself lucky. If you walk into a pintxos bar in San Sebastian and there aren't napkins on the floor, you might think twice about eating there - the most popular bars have napkins everywhere on the floor because it's a Spanish tradition to toss your used napkins on the floor (try a google search for 'napkins floor pintxos'). If there are a lot of napkins on the floor, it means it's a really popular bar. I think it's great that they're not stopping diners from doing this, since it makes the experience all the more authentic. Honestly, this is the closest you'll come to an authentic pintxos bar experience without actually going to San Sebastian. If you're looking for a taste of Spain and awesome food, try Txori.
Pros: Small bites, so you can try a lot of different things
Cons: Parking in Belltown is awful
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