There are three types of food which are prominent in the gourmet Mecca of Spain, San Sebastian: First, the famous fine dining restaurants including Mugaritz and Arzak. Then there's the tourist tapas bars and finally the authentic pintxos, popular amongst locals.
The most important part of tapas hopping, is spotting these classic bars which the locals prefer.
These are the real treasure of Basque cuisine, which is hidden behind Spanish words you won't understand unless you speak the language. It is right in front of your eyes and it is usually handwritten on black chalkboards.
Your best bet if you have no idea what to eat, is to start ordering from the blackboard randomly or get suggestions from the people behind the bar.
If it is a busy time, which usually is, it will be quite hard to get the someone’s attention if you are not a regular. But if you become a returning customer, they will get to know you and service will be faster.