EBG Rating: 7.6/10

Choice/Quality of Drinks:
❤️❤️❤️
Deliberately compact wine and beer selection covering the basics.

Style/Décor:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Café in a 70s style precinct which has been personalised inside with local heritage, usual Bilbao supporters stuff, syndicate results on the wall, TV in the corner.

Atmosphere/Character:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
100% unfettered local life to be enjoyed, a double team working the bar and plenty of gossip and chat. Seems to be dog friendly too.

Amenities/Events:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Snacks, TV, games, takeaway.

Value For Money:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Scrupulously fair value for money. Two wines and two pintxos left us change from 5 euros (2025).

Description:
Set in the hilly, and quite Projects-style district of Ibarrekolanda, stepping off the Metro at Sarriko feels like the Spaniards have had a crack at building an American city centre. Wide boulevards, high-rise and precincts that seem to date from the 70s and 80s. Avenida is tucked by a forecourt and most easily accessible from the main road, rather than walking into the high rise complex, round and up the stairs as we did.

There are the city centre pintxo bars then there is this. A genuine district vibe with people you can tell may not frequent city centre places as a matter of course but stick those those locally.

That doesn’t make it unfriendly, not a bit of it. Barely an eyelash was raised as I entered. As usual with Spain, the staff are busy, they want to know what you want and are eager to help.

Avenida serves casseroles (to order ahead), typical pintxos with nice Tortilla, and on Sundays they deep fry squid and prawns which are fabulous. Wash these down with the humble beer and wine offerings and all is well with the world.

They appear to manage a local syndicate so you’ll find the latest updates on boards on the walls, while the general café surroundings have been personalised. The double-team working the bar have their own matter too which adds to the distinctive nature of the place.

This is somewhere if you want to get off the beaten path and find a truly local bar, to experience life unspoilt by tourism. Due to Bilbao’s excellent Metro it’s very easy to reach.

(Added November 2025)