Gastronomy · Costa Noroeste

Casa Balbino

Tapas bar on Sanlúcar's Plaza del Cabildo, founded by Balbino Izquierdo in 1939 and known across Spain for its tortillitas de camarones with a glass of manzanilla.

About Casa Balbino

Balbino Izquierdo Aldea opened the tavern on Plaza del Cabildo, Sanlúcar's main square, in 1939, and his family still runs it. The walls carry old photographs of the town, and the house gallery shows chefs José Andrés and Ferran Adrià among its visitors. It is the standard tapas stop in a town that makes manzanilla and lands its own prawns at Bonanza.

The signature is the tortillita de camarones: tiny local shrimp in a thin batter, fried until lacy and crisp. Other standards are papas aliñadas with melva tuna, fried choco and acedías (small soles), langostinos de Sanlúcar, stuffed squid, seafood croquetas and a campero (soft roll) filled with pringá (slow-cooked stew meats). Manzanilla, including en rama, is poured by the glass. Order at the counter and pay at the end; on the terrace, waiters serve raciones.

Listings give daily hours of 12:00–17:00 and 19:00–00:00. Tapas cost roughly €2.50–6 and raciones €10–20, so a round with manzanilla is about €15–25 per person (2026). There are no reservations, but the bar staff work fast even when crowded. The square is pedestrianised and level.

Arrive by 13:30 for room at the counter, or after 20:30 when the square fills with families. The Feria de la Manzanilla (late May or June) and the August beach horse races make it very busy. Tip: order tortillitas a few at a time so each arrives hot.

Casa Balbino in pictures

Large historic photograph of the Plaza del Cabildo on the wall of Casa Balbino, Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Tortillita de camarones held up on a paper napkin at Casa Balbino, Sanlúcar de Barrameda

What you’ll find

Fried fishPescaíto frito (€6–€16)Buy
Late openingOpen lateFree
RacionesSharing plates (€10–€20, 12:00–23:59)Buy
SeafoodFish and seafood (€6–€25)Buy
Sherry and wineWines by the glass (€2–€4)Buy
Signature dishHouse speciality (€2–€4)Buy
Standing barBar counterFree
TapasTapas at the bar (€3–€6, 12:00–23:59)Buy
TerraceOutdoor seatingFree
Walk-in onlyNo reservationsFree

Nearby places to visit

Casa Balbino looks on to the square that leads to the Mercado de Abastos, Sanlúcar de Barrameda (240 m), where the fish stalls sell the same shrimp and prawns. Sherry bodegas are close by: Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana (210 m) on Calle Banda Playa and the Manzanilla Museum (Bodegas Barbadillo) (510 m) beside the castle, while Bodega Delgado Zuleta (1 km) is one of the oldest firms in town. For a sit-down seafood meal on the river, walk down to Casa Bigote (1 km) at Bajo de Guía, facing Doñana.