Bar Los Diamantes

Bar Los Diamantes stands on Calle Navas, the busy tapas street just off Plaza del Carmen in central Granada, in the Andalusia region of Spain. The Calle Navas bar is the original of a seafood-tapas institution in the city, and it has built its reputation on one simple formula: fried fish from the Andalusian coast, served fast and cheap, with a free seafood tapa arriving alongside every drink. That free-tapa custom is a defining feature of Granada's bar culture, and Los Diamantes is among the places where it is practised most generously. The cuisine is classic Andalusian fried seafood, known locally as fritura. Signature dishes include boquerones fritos (fried fresh anchovies), gambas al ajillo (prawns sizzling in garlic and olive oil), a mixed fritura de pescado and chipirones fritos (fried baby squid). The anchovies are the emblematic order and are the dish most visitors associate with the bar. The dining room is a narrow, high-energy tapas counter with a few tables and plenty of standing room. Noise levels are high, service is brisk and there is no dress code; locals, students and visitors mix at the bar. The drinks list is straightforward, centred on draught beer (caña), house wine and vermouth, and the free tapa changes depending on the kitchen. Reservations are not taken. The bar operates on a walk-in basis, and a standing queue typically forms around 14:00 at lunch and 21:30 at dinner, so arriving a little before those peaks shortens the wait. Typical spending is about €8–€15 (roughly $9.20–$17.25) per person, which makes it one of the better-value seafood meals in the centre. Hours are generally Monday to Saturday from 12:30 to 16:00 and from 20:30 to midnight, with Sunday closing, though visitors should confirm locally. The phone number is +34 958 22 70 70. Because the format rewards ordering a drink and then adding a ración or two, a small group can sample several fried specialities for a modest bill. Calle Navas is within easy walking distance of the cathedral area, Plaza Nueva and the Alhambra approach, so the bar fits naturally into a day of sightseeing in Granada's historic centre.