Looks like we are having ‘spanish’ food renaissance in Los Angeles these days.
Maybe we got to compline a list, I will name just a few I visited but surely there are many more.
San Laurel - DTLA - “high” end Jose Andres
Teleferic Barcelona - Brentwood - tapas
Xuntos - SM - Galician
Cafe Basque - DTLA - Daniel Rose tribute to Basque cuisine
Tatel - Beverly Hills - see and be seen kind of place
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Good to hear! Still miss Bar Pinxto though. 
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Such a fun spot!
- Gasolina Cafe
- Doño (which hasn’t gotten very good reviews)
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Otono should be near the top of any list.
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Dono is closed. It was bad.
Unfortunately none of them seem to be very good, though I have not yet tried Otono.
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1000% cursed (though Fia appears to be going gangbusters next door)
Looking forward to Xuntos.
Not a new one, but there’s also Manchego on Main in Santa Monica. They mostly stick to the classics and do a fine job from what I can recall. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been though. Maybe because I’m still upset about Bar Pintxo closing.
Otoño is pretty good. Loved their gin + tonic menu, from which I had the Otoño w/ cardamom, clove, and juniper berries.
There’s the Serrano Experience pop-up (primarily) at Melody Wine Bar. It was fine.
I love Spanish cuisine, but one of the main things that keeps me from returning to most of these is just how quickly the tab adds up having to order so many small plates. It’s just such a stark difference from tapeando in Spain. I just don’t know if tapas works that well outside of Spain/Europe since we don’t have the same dining culture here with regards to the timing and social aspect of when people go out to eat and the distinction between a tapas joint and a full restaurant. Would absolutely love to find a place to pop into just for a couple of banderillas, a slice of tortilla, a croqueta, and a vermut for about $20.
Honorable mention for Kippered (fka DTLA Cheese). Open until midnight. I haven’t been but it looks like a smaller-scale Sol e Pesca (Lisbon) kinda joint given the focus on conservas and other small bites.
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Dos Besos in Pasadena. Have only eaten there once but enjoyed it. Lovely outdoor patio and nice owners.
I totally agree about the problem of translating Spanish food and its culture to the U.S. and in an affordable fashion. There is almost nothing I love more than a good tapeo.
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IMO one key factor that LA lacks is enough density (of housing, restaurants, people walking) to support the kind of experience you get in Spain where you can walk from one tiny good place to another all night. Also we lack the cultural connection to the food, if you replaced half the fast food places in DTLA with tapas bars we might get close, but I don’t think enough people want that food enough of the time 
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I remember being in San Sebastián on part of a school trip and our guide saying don’t fall for the big plates they give tourists, try one maybe two things here but we’ll be stopping at multiple places today. Just a beer and a bite. People watching was so fun
Also being at Duende in Oakland and some guy loudly saying this isn’t how it would be in Spain. Like yeah no duh, but this place is still cool
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Exactly the situation at Xuntos. Food was fine - more enjoyable than Teleferic - but I can’t justify going back at those prices.
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I did not find Xuntos very pricey by todays standards.
Agree that the food was pretty good - some real hits and some misses.
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Though I didn’t have any consevas! Those must be very rare/hard to source (or just $$$).
Tuna empanada was great, So was the Fired Eggplant.
Croquettas excellent - but smallish.
Lamb skewer was tough and gristly
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The Gueyu Mar conservas are brilliant but they’re expensive. Xuntos’ markup isn’t that bad in this case.
Agree with you on the lamb skewer. Salty too.
Ham game was solid.
good to know
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