Joe’s has been one of my favorite spots for a long time. When Joe Miller opened his small Spanish Tapas themed wine bar last year, I immediately added Bar Pinxto to my list.

It’s a tight space, with a max capacity of 30 people inside and a few tables outside. Bar Pinxto isn’t meant for lingering though. It’s a faced paced service of small dishes eaten on bar tables and small stools. You will get friendly with your neighbors, or in my case receive a few elbows in the back from the guy behind you.

The tight space sort of lends to the ambiance though. It makes you feel like you are in a much more central urban spot than being a block from the ocean in Santa Monica.

We tried the happy hour special, which runs daily from 4-7pm if you believe the website, or 4-6pm if you believe the sign outside of Pinxto. You get six small tapas for $6, plus $3 sangria or $1.50 Stella. Everything is small, but tasty. The drinks are 6-8 ounces? And the tapas are different specialties of the house served atop small pieces of grilled bread.

We sampled:

• Crimini Mushroom, Jamon And Diced Vegetables
• Jamon Sofrito With Fried Leeks
• Esparragos Blancos Con Romesco
• Endive, Roquefort Cream, Anchovy & Walnut
• Radish, Jicama, Avocado, Cilantro and Lime
• Fresh Tomato, Serrano Ham, Grilled Bread

And followed up with some full orders of:

• Dates Wrapped in Bacon with Cabralas Cheese
• Costillas De Cordero - Lamb Chop, Chorizo Crust, Small Salad
• Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with grapes
• Grilled White Shrimp with garlic and lemon

With a few glasses of sangria, the bill for the whole dinner for two was around $65. I would definitely go back, although not with too many more people. If there are more than four in your party, it’s too tight quarters.

Bar Pinxto
109 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.458.2012