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The menu is nothing special when it comes to price or variety, but the reasonably priced sangria and the atmosphere are hard to beat in this centrally located tavern frequented by students and young people. The owners now have another much larger Barcelona location in Poblenou with pool tables, foosball, and big-screen TVs for sporting events. Mondays to Fridays open from 9am until 3am; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays open from 5pm until 3am.

Looking for a romantic dinner in Brisbane? Located in the historic Barracks building at the top of Petrie Terrace (and Caxton St), Peasant has one of the most ambient outdoor dining areas in the city. Very popular and a little pricey, Peasant had been on my “Dying to Try” list for a long time and an anniversary with my boyfriend was the perfect occasion. The service was perfect - friendly, genuinely helpful, warm and down to earth and the Spanish food was delicious - almost all of it is tapas, so it’s perfect for sharing. We had a corner area around a jellybean-shaped wooden table, softly lit by these gorgeous spun glass lights that hang over the diners. I love sangria and I was delighted to find that Peasant that does some of the best in town. It may not be cheap ‘n cheerful and made in giant bins like back in Europe, but it was the most delicious sangria I’ve had and was worth every cent. Diners are encouraged to ask the staff to help when choosing wine, as the extensive wine list is overflowing with Spanish wines rarely seen outside of Spain. They also claim to be bringing the sexy back to sherry. Inside, the restaurant is decked out to the nines with colourful murals and decorates, and is perfect for a big group of friends.

Easy to find and hard to leave, Ramses is modern but ultra comfortable. They managed to create a completely differente atmosphere in each room—from romantic dining to a bubbly champagne bar—but the outdoor lounge was my favorite. When traveling I typically won’t visit a place twice but, while sipping sangria outside surrounded by locals, I knew I’d come back to Ramses.

It’s all about creative, contemporary tapas and small plates at the small, popular storefront of La Boca. Find a relaxed mix of locals and tourists and watch chef James Campbell Caruso work his magic on the kale salad, gazpacho and the delicious skirt steak with the salted carmel. Happy Hour is a nice, quiet time to sit at the bar for wine and housemade sangria specials and half price tapas.

In downtown Scottsdale, Arizona, there’s a new taco place called Barrio Queen Tequileria. They serve more than 50 kinds of tacos, and I wish I could have tried them all. I lingered there yesterday, and enjoyed a long lunch of shrimp and carnitas tacos, chunky guacamole with pomegranate seeds, and sangria made with sweet peach juice. Do not miss the Mexico City-style elote, or roasted corn with cotija cheese and lime. And ask for Yvette, a server who is as lovely and welcoming as the place itself.

Tapas in Madrid are usually eaten before lunch, at “vermut” or “aperitivo” time. This can be done before lunch or after work. Apart from eating the Madrid tapas and drinking sangria or beer, these bars are a good place to watch football games and people get together for the occasion; specially when there is a FC Madrid vs Real Madrid game. It is also quite popular to have tapas in Madrid for dinner. Groups of friends like getting together and sharing some tapas at a good price. It’s a budget dinner and it is fun to choose which tapas to eat and taste different Madrid tapas.

Everyone knows a pintxo hop is a must-do in San Sebastián. What everyone doesn’t know is that Atari Gastroteka, located in the shadows of the old town’s beautiful Santa Maria church, is the perfect last stop on the tour. Their artisan foie is slightly sweet and incredibly flavorful, lightly sprinkled with cracked black pepper and sea salt, and served on raisin toast. Paired with a gin and tonic (some of the city’s best), it’s your ideal transition into postprandial nightlife. And Atari also has dessert pintxos for those in your group who want to end on a sweet note.

Thanks to its upscale, authentic fare, Rosa Mexicano was named a top Mexican restaurant in Washington, D.C., by Zagat. The chic dining destination, which is decorated with folk art masks, wood carvings, and rich colors, overlooks the Potomac River in National Harbor. Start your meal with guacamole prepared tableside. Then try the carnitas tacos—slow-braised pork and grilled pineapple served with homemade tortillas and chile and tomatillo salsas. Vegetarians can opt for the farmers’ market tacos stuffed with roasted squash, grilled mushrooms, brussels sprouts, and macadamia nuts. To wash everything down, choose from more than 10 margaritas, red or white sangria, and a lengthy list of tequilas. If you have room for dessert, try an order of traditional churros served with three dipping sauces.

The chuck wagon dinner is a prairie classic. Today, rustic dining takes on new meaning when you hop on a wagon and head out into the wilderness for a gourmet meal. Just like an American settler heading west, the Paws Up Chuck Wagon Experience is an immersive ranch dining trip. A classic horse-drawn wagon will bring you to the banks of the historic Blackfoot River. Upon arrival you can sip sangria and play horse shoes while a private chef cooks your meal. Here seasonal, simple, and rustic flavors (like angus prime ribs and fire roasted corn) are expertly prepared for a memorable event. After dinner enjoy the picturesque setting and local talent—a banjo player or cowboy poet.

Downtown Orlando is a very social place, with blocks of bars and restaurants that stay busy from happy hour through late night. Along Orange Avenue—but delightfully removed from the more boisterous downtown stretch—this rooftop lounge overlooking Ivanhoe Row is a local favorite for drinking craft cocktails al fresco. Ride the glass elevator up the third-floor deck, where a horseshoe-shaped bar is shaded from the sun but open to the breezes. Seasonal sangrias spiked with whatever fruit is at peak ripeness go down easily. And another house favorite is the Majors Mule, which puts a tequila twist on the ginger beer and fresh lime classic.

Acclaimed chef José Andrés brings his love of tapas to the D.C. area with Jaleo. The warm and spacious restaurant in Crystal City serves an impressive assortment of traditional small dishes and wines from Spain that include many vegetarian and gluten-free options. Don’t skip the famous patatas bravas—fried potatoes with spicy tomato and aioli sauce—or the sparkling sangrias. This is a great place to come with a group—it means more to share and sample. On weekends, diners can opt for a tasting menu of brunch tapas and glass of cava or mimosa for $30 a person.

Every January, Tempe, Arizona, serves as the finish line for the thousands upon thousands of runners participating in the Arizona Rock’n’Roll marathon and half-marathon. And so, the question: “Where to eat after the race?” Mill Avenue is the main drag in this college-student-oriented downtown. (ASU’s campus is just a few blocks away.) Drinking-centric chain restaurants dominate, but if you want to find locally-sourced ingredients in a posh interior, check out La Bocca Urban Pizzeria and Wine Bar. Known throughout the Phoenix area for their sangria, they serve a mean plank of bruschetta—a great way to nosh while waiting for wood-fired pizzas to arrive. Perhaps not the clinically “perfect” runners’ recovery meal, but it worked for us! (The particular bruschetta in this photo: roasted baby beets with goat cheese and honey; smoked prosciutto with mascarpone, fig, and truffle oil...) And thank you thank you to fellow AFAR-posters who answered my query that led my friends and me to crash and refuel at this place yesterday afternoon! We DID shower beforehand; the interior is comfy-chic, with a lovely reproduction of a Renaissance portrait gazing out from behind the bar.

Seattle is mysteriously blessed with an abundance of excellent Oaxacan restaurants. If you love the savory fare at Ballard’s La Carta de Oaxaca — but not the long weekend wait for a table — La Cocina Oaxaquena, at the edge of downtown-meets-Capitol-Hill, is a welcome alternative. At happy hour (4–6pm and 10pm–12am), grab a patio table, enjoy a half-carafe of sangria, and snack on sizable small plates such as tacos dorados (rolled and fried tortillas with chicken or beef, guacamole, black beans, dried chile sauce, Oaxaqueño cheese, and crema), molotes, and pozole. If you’re not feeling adventurous, they also offer tacos al pastor and chips and guacamole. There’s a full dinner menu and the kitchen is open until midnight, so you don’t have to settle for chain-restaurant food downtown when this place is just a few blocks up the hill.

A popular spot for late-night carb-loading (it’s open until 2 a.m. every night), Bimbo’s serves up cheap and enormous burritos in its eye-catching restaurant, decorated wall-to-wall in a Mexican-wrestler-and-black-velvet theme. When you see the giant blinking red arrow, you’ve found the place. They offer burritos, tacos, nachos, tortas, and taco salads, and nothing is over $10. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. Downstairs is the Cha Cha Lounge, a large basement space with plenty of seating for groups; there’s an upstairs and downstairs bar for convenience. Happy hour is 4-8 every day, and all day Sunday and Monday. Wells are $3.50, sangria is $4, margaritas and Bloody Marys are $4.50, and there’s a small happy hour food menu. But really, with prices this cheap, how much of a discount do you need?

There are plenty of flamenco places in Granada, from the 35 euro tourist cave to the 6 euro wine cellar. My love for flamenco has drawn me to each one. I think the best deal especially if you are only in Granada for a week or a weekend is to splurge and go out for a great meal, the best sangria I’ve tasted in Spain, and some very talented and passionate flamenco. For almost the same price as the tourist filled sacramonte flamenco caves you can have a three-course delicious meal and see top quality flamenco at “Restaurante Jardines de Zoraya, tablao Flamenco.” Located in the Albaycin this restaurant has flamenco shows twice a night and a third matinee show on Saturday and Sunday. Come early so you give yourself time to find it in the hilly small alleys of the Albaycin and also to get a seat and order before the show starts.