Never eaten tapas in UK nor fish and chips in Spain.

Most of the bars Granada region, the only region of Andalucia, I am told still do free tapas.

In all the bars I used on latest 2 month trip to the area did free tapas with soft drinks also. One bar in particular in my mountain village, the waiter/part owner serves up absolutely fresh from kitchen ( his wife and business partners wife ) simply delicious tapas.

He must have a code he gives them as every drink brings forth a different tapa. Pinchos, either pork or chicken marinated in spicy mix with a little salad, baked goats cheese and mermelada... absolutley delicious ! mini home made hamburger with quails egg on top or jamon with quails egg. all sorts of fish tapas, pulpo, calamares, prawn swirls, choco, mixed marinaded fish bites. Stews and lentil dishes. Great place to eat, the other bar in village does more traditional dishes with a twist on some, big portions for hungry people, you don't need to eat before nor after a few ! Her almejas were to die for YUMMMYYYY

I have had some good tapas in Granada city bars, and I think your area is better than average for Andalucia. But if I were offered a slice of bread with cured ham roll on top, it would go uneaten. Yuck!

Now the ones The Capitan's Wench mentions from her recent trip sound much more appetising.

Well as I've stated before, it is very common in Madrid, but less so in the central tourist zone (I can find plenty of places even there that serve free tapas, but newcomers tend to get caught by corporate chains). The vast majority make them fairly freshly (often you can see the kitchen, or see the bartender slice the tortilla or jamon), but it wouldn't surprise me if some establishments bought them in and just micro-waved a-la Wetherspoons.
Other places I've been to that are very good for free snacks are Leon, Benavente, Segovia, Teruel and Cuenca. Mainly heartland Castilian cities, but it didn't seem to be the case in Valladolid - there you are expected to pay 1.50 or 1.70 for a tapa/pintxo, but very high quality.
Believe it or not I found a couple of places in Barcelona that gave free tapas - run by people from Andalucia though.
I've been told it's also common in Galicia, but I've never been that far out.

You'd be best to avoid the "Museo del Jamon" chain in Madrid then. Almost every tapa will be ham, chorizo or salchichon canapes.

Great. Thanks for the 'plug' for the north! Donosti has a reputation to keep up & hopefully they won't let it slip. I'm told Logroño has equally good pintxos, but cannot speak from experience.

yes, do agree so don't go to those places very often, but isnt that what Spain is founded on - cured meat ? Since clearing out my jaded pallette from UK food I am understanding the differences. But the village is reputed to have 50 bars so there is a good choice.

we were out looking at houses the other (very hot) weekend and needed a drink in a town never before visited about 15k south of Granada and were served up a huge plate of battered boquerones to go with 2 coca cola's for €1.50 each
looking at it from the English perspective you do wonder how some places manage to make any profit at all, but one place I know only serves a 200ml glass of beer instead of the 300/330ml of everyone else for €1.50. But another bar charges €1.10 for the full glass and good interesting tapas

for those who are in the area and want fish only then try (only open evenings) Chanquete Restaurante, on Calle de Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, 27 18004 Granada. There you also get a huge plate of fresh cooked fish for tapas, althought ISTR they charge €2 a drink. Alternatively they have a restaurant with usually a waiting list for tables but a meal can be €40 a head.
Have seen the fishmonger making a delivery and had fish rejected as not up to standard. Believe they have another restaurant in Ogijares.

have started a listing of all these places and the quality (or otherwise) of their tapas. earlier this year we had a feria and ruta de tapas with about 35 35 bars involved. alot of pride taken in having a certificate to say the bar took part.

Yes, I came across it in Galicia which was a bit of a surprise at the time, quite substantial helpings as well compared to what I had in Andalucia.
Not that I'm one for complaining of course, well you can't really when it's free, can you ?

Probably because they were raciones not tapas, although you rarely get these for free, maybe if you are a group ordering drinks

In Oviedo, in some places the waiters go around every 10 minutes with free plates of nibbles, but they arent tapas. They may be gambas a la gabardina or mini-tostas (tostas are big up here) or a pinxo of jamon iberico

Another good reason not to open a bar...providing all those fresh tapas must dent the profits I suspect that many use leftovers from the night before!

I don't understand the obsession with tapas, don't like all those meaty things or sloppy mayonnaise ones with a drink. We once went to Cervantes theatre in Málaga, timing was strange so decided to have a drink and tapas. They all seemed very cheap but the bill for 4 of us came to 24€ about 3 years ago.

And this isnt cheap?

Then chicken and leek in white wine sauce, is what my order going to be! Cheers!

Not when everyone is getting quails eggs and fine cured ham for free. Not exactly a bargain for 3 beers one wine and a few tapas on matchsticks.

Extremadura

On matchsticks? They probably weren't tapas then

have to agree with you - sorry to break the argueing streak.

the sort of place J2 goes for a drink it sounds cheap(ish), €6 each could be about right as tapas will have to be asked for or provided as an extra - just not where I went at lunch time, €1.40.
have never paid more than €2 a drink, but I go where the Spanish workers go for their lunch - better class of clientele me thinks.

but then everyone thinks I am making it up with €3.50 for menu del dia every week

for those in/near Granada who can get to the La Cueva de Grana in the Calle Rector Marin Ocete, just off the Avenida de la Constitucion, its right opposite the Park Universitano de Fuente Neuva, (you can find it on StreetWalk). Lunch starts at 1300 daily. You will enjoy it, very filling and probably won't want much in the evening. No wonder it is frequented by students and Spanish alike.
enjoy.