28 Jul Bar Xuntos: A Taste of Spain in the Heart of Santa Monica

You do not need a passport or a plane ticket to escape to Spain (although that would be nice!). Instead, head to Santa Monica’s Bar Xuntos, where you will be transported to Spain the moment you walk through the door. From the warm, inviting decor and welcoming staff to the thoughtfully curated menu and distinctly Spanish wine list, it feels less like a restaurant in Los Angeles and more like a neighborhood tapas bar somewhere in Spain.

The name Xuntos means “together” in Galician, a fitting name for a place built around sharing food, wine, and conversation. Inspired by Chef Sandra Cordero’s summers in Spain and her love of gathering around the table, Bar Xuntos is a place to linger over shared plates, discover new wines, and enjoy good conversation. So, dining with a friend felt as the restaurant intended: together.

Chef Sandra Cordero, who is half-Spanish & half-Dutch, spent her school years in Amsterdam and her summers on her family farm near A Coruña in Galicia. Those memories became the inspiration for Bar Xuntos, which she described as a love letter to her summers in Spain and the joy of dining and working in restaurants. Her vision was to create a neighborhood tapas bar near the beach where guests could be romantic and unrefined, whether sitting at the bar or settled into a cozy booth.

At Bar Xuntos, the cooking celebrates the flavors and traditions of Spain while showcasing seasonal ingredients. The menu captures the spirit of Spanish dining, offering selections of pintxos, conservas, and tapas, along with larger dishes meant for sharing. Many ingredients come from the nearby Santa Monica Farmers Market, while others are imported from Spain.

On our visit, we embraced that spirit of sharing. We began with a pair of pintxos, including the Achos, a Cantabrian anchovy served on buttery brioche that perfectly balanced rich, salty, and savory flavors. From the conservas selection, we shared the Alalunga mackerel fillet packed in olive oil, served simply with nori butter, toasted baguette, and olives, letting the quality of the fish shine.

From there, a selection of tapas arrived for the table. The Vieiras, tender scallops finished with saffron butter, were rich yet delicate, while the classic Gambas al Ajillo delivered everything you’d hope for from garlic shrimp. Our favorite surprise of the meal was the Tomato & Peach Salad. Made with market-fresh tomatoes, peaches, cucumber, and basil, it was bright, refreshing, and the perfect summer dish, highlighting Chef Cordero’s commitment to seasonal ingredients.

The sense of place extends beyond the food. Housed in a historic 1926 brick building, the space blends Art Deco influences with the charm of classic Spanish tapa bars. Vintage lighting, family photographs of Chef Cordero’s Galician farm, portraits of women, and a wall covered in real scallop shells inspired by La Toxa (La Toja) in Galicia create a warm, authentic atmosphere.

Equally compelling is the beverage program at Bar Xuntos. Wine Director Scott Baker, who has worked for Chef April Bloomfeld and Chef José Andrés, has transformed Bar Xuntos into an exciting destination for Spanish natural wine. He has curated a program centered on minimal-intervention producers and the new generation of Spanish winemakers.  The focus is on small growers whose wines reflect place and personality rather than manipulation. More than half of the featured producers are women, and the list includes both established names and emerging talents that are rarely found elsewhere. The list features more than 30 wines by the glass and over 200 bottles, alongside an impressive selection of vermouths, sherries, and cocktails.

Rather than ordering individual glasses, we let Scott guide our experience with one of his rotating wine flights, offered on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Each week, he curates a different selection that showcases the diversity of Spain’s wine regions and producers.

Our flight began with the 2024 Xesterinia José Manuel Domínguez Salnés do Biolo Albariño, a fresh, vibrant, mineral-driven introduction to Galicia. Next came the 2023 Vimbio by Martín Crusat & Patricia Elola O Rosal Branco, another Galician white that offered a different expression of Albariño through its blend and sense of place. The third wine, Victoria Torres Pecis “SLQ” NV (’19+’22) from La Palma, a blend of Palomino and Malvasia, added another layer of complexity, offering flinty, smoky notes and highlighting the diversity found throughout Spain’s island and coastal wine regions.

To finish, we enjoyed a Dido “Venus La Universal” 2022 Montsant, Catalunya aged in cement, a beautiful expression of pure fruit and texture that was fresh, vibrant, and beautifully balanced. It was the perfect reminder that some of Spain’s most exciting wines come from thoughtful winemaking rather than heavy oak.

We ended our meal with a creamy, caramelized Basque cheesecake, a fitting finale to an evening that celebrated Spain from the first bite to the last sip.

Gather a few friends “together” and enjoy small plates and interesting wines at Bar Xuntos, where you will forget you are in Santa Monica and instead feel like you spent the evening in a wine bar in Spain.