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Bellota is a perfectly fine dinner pick when you’re in need of a fun, lively restaurant (FLR for short). This Spanish spot in SoMa on the ground floor of Airbnb’s HQ is so sprawling that it’s versatile—convenient for dates, work dinners, and anytime you draw the short stick and are tasked with finding last-minute reservations for a rather big group. Just prepare to put a dent in your wallet. Dinner tends to get pricey.
The major draw of Bellota, from the group behind Absinthe and Arbor, is that it’s several touches above casual and has an energetic buzz. The U-shaped chef’s counter in the middle of the room is an absolute showstopper. Music filling the space is courtesy of an actual guitarist plucking away in the corner. And big legs of jamón dangle in the window.
photo credit: Krescent Carasso
Their pintxos, tapas, paellas (with optional half-and-half orders), and all kinds of fish and meat are best described as solid, but a tad lackluster. And for the portions you get, prices are high. The namesake Bellota, a.k.a. Cinco Jotas-brand jamón ibérico, is velvet-soft but $40 for a minuscule plate is kind of a bummer. We get the acorn-fed, Iberian ham is black-label elite, we just wish there was more of it so it's more suitable for snacking with a group. There’s also a lovely octopus atop a smokey mojo rojo, but the meat needs more char. And those passable, golf ball-sized crab croquettes overpowered by celery root are two for $20 dollars. So the way to a good time is to go in on the fantastic cocktails or something from their very long list of Spanish wines, and enjoy the music and your company—and maybe a paella to share. Hopefully, someone else is paying.