After getting bounced out of nearly every place in town, including Casa Cámara, they set up a table…read morefor us outside (think Goodfellas walk through the kitchen scene). We had the best waitress ever (they don't normally serve outside) and incredible seafood, grilled shrimp, crab, sole and monkfish. One of the best meals of our trip and sooo simple...would highly recommend.

This place is nearly impossible to get a reservation and it's understandable. Their dishes are out…read moreof this world. No surprise that several alums have gone on to open highly rated restaurants of their own (Firedoor, Burnt Ends, etc). If you can't get a reservation but are in the area in Sunday you can still go at lunch to get tapas. And the real bonus was getting to order a few grilled dishes like their lamb chops and steak along with cod. These were amazing. But if you can get a resy definitely go that route first so you can get Viktor's entire tasting menu

Amazing meal. Came to basque country to dine here and it was worth the trip if you can snag a…read morereservation. Restaurant is located in the beautiful and peaceful hills of axpe,bizkaia 40 mins from bilbao. Asador is the mecca and founder of grilled foods. Dave pynt from burnt ends and even eneko trained here at one point of their careers. We went with the tasting and added a lobster. A choice we did not regret. Everything was done masterfully. Don't expect caviar and good here. This place is about the raw ingredients cooked perfectly. No frills, just flames. This is an absolute must and bucket list place to experience once.

Mugaritz is iconic! It is not the best meal you'll ever eat, it is not the most comfortable you'll…read moreever be in a dining setting, and it is certainly not the most enjoyable time you'll have at lunch or dinner. But we're here for art - Mugaritz is truly an expensive piece of art that you get to experience if you so decide to go! I've been to Mugaritz twice, and each time has been extremely unique. Not one repeated course, and the experience overall felt different. The attention to detail and care with which they make the meal at Mugaritz is just stunning, and the overall ability to interact with a staff that so clearly loves their job is so fun! Most recently we had everything from pig snout to roasted bees to a soup that we made a as a group of diners. Every dish was plated beautifully, had a story behind it, and felt like true performance food art. The wine pairing is such a treat because they bring you wines that are mainly collaborations, and you get to try so much during your journey. If you want a good steak go to Casa Julian, if you want to save money eat pintxos in San Sebastian, and if you want the best meal ever go to Azurmendi - but if you want an experience that is truly worth having, spend 4 hours at Mugaritz - you will not be underwhelmed.

A very interesting experience (9/2023), giving Mugaritz 4 stars. A very influential place/chef, it…read morewas a bucket list type place so all of the poor reviews and friends' advice couldn't stop me from seeing it for myself. Like others have said, they try to give a unique experience, saying they don't follow a traditional fine dining format, but more just serve you textures and temperatures in no particular order - somewhat true, but the meal did still follow (albeit loosely) the standard, with light bites followed by more substantial entree type dishes, and a little sweet to end. There were few courses where utensils were provided, most of the meal was to be experienced with your hands. The menu was definitely an experience, and it's sort of masochistic - they don't want you to like everything, and pushed us to tell them which dishes/courses/flavors/anything we didn't like. Overall though, the food was mostly good. Nothing with flavor that will blow you away, but the creativity I do greatly appreciate, and I've been to enough of these dinners where something weird and off the beaten path like this is appreciated. There were a couple courses that unfortunately fell flat in terms of flavor, and of course they were the 'weird' courses too - the milk from a fake boob was flavorless and made a mess, the cider "skin" peeled from the face had no flavor and fell apart, making this course basically one where you have to pick up sauce with your hands and eat it. My main issue with the experience overall was the service. Maybe they were understaffed, but it was just bad. The cups are wooden, so servers can't tell that they're empty unless they're standing over them basically. They wouldn't serve a dish unless they had two people ready to serve them simultaneously, which resulted in multiple times where the food was sitting by our table, with one server awkwardly trying to flag down another so we could be served - one of these took like 3 minutes which was very weird. They made a whole spiel about the wine experience where you choose a painting from a booklet and give them keywords to help them choose a bottle for you, but they took that booklet and never asked us about it again so I guess they didn't wanna do that. The wine list is very short, the sommelier couldn't tell us much about the wines we asked about. Also there was one sommelier for the entire service, and the servers refused to pour wine for us so we would sit empty for long periods of time, and the wine was out of our reach where it would be weird to get up and pour our own. We asked one server multiple times to refill our glasses after an extended period of time, and he reluctantly poured the wine, except he did so into my cup with water in it? Barely an apology, no fresh water cup offered or anything. Just very weird stuff from a 2 michelin star/world's best restaurant, where consistency and attention to detail are typically the standard.

This is a great French Basque restaurant in the old part of Hendaye. The old part is very quiet and…read morea little small but really gives you the feel of being a small beach town. It is also a nice break from the busy beach area. The food was great and the selection for the menu of the day was terrific with lots of seafood as well as lamb and beef. The service was very kind and they spoke both Spanish and French as well as Basque. We had the muscles with french fries and a nice rosé. They were kind to separate the lamb entrée for our kids. I had a lovely gateaux Basque and café. Given all we had, the price was reasonable but not cheap. The place is about a half mile from the train station and completely worth a stop.

Kind and friendly service. The place is cozy and decorated with a nautical theme. There are…read moreoutdoor tables also. The kitchen treated the fish with much respect and our dishes were well prepared.

We experienced a delightful and very delicious meal here. We did our research before our trip and…read morewe are so happy we selected this restaurant. The food was beyond fresh and the presentation like artwork.

From the moment we were greeted at the door, until we sadly had to put our forks down, the whole…read moreexperience was superb. The restaurant was beautiful in every regard, the presentation was such that you only reluctantly spoiled it with the first bite...and without fail the first bite, to the last, was exceptional. The service was exemplary and the owner was so very gracious to spend time with us at the table, sharing her insights into the food scene that is San Sabastian. Sometimes food is more than food, sometimes it is a lasting memory. Ikaitz was that for us. Hope you have the opportunity!

If you come to San Sebastián and don't stop at Bar Néstor, you've skipped one of the city's great…read moreculinary rituals. This tiny, high‑energy bar in the Parte Vieja is famous for doing just a few things -- and doing them with absolute conviction. The lineup is legendary: the txuleta steak, the tomato salad, the Padrón peppers, and of course, the tortilla that sells out instantly. They make only two tortillas a day, and getting your name on the list feels like joining a local rite of passage. Here's the twist: although the tortilla is the most famous item, it actually wasn't our favorite version in the city. It's still fun to chase, still a cool story to tell, but the real stars of the meal were the steak -- charred, juicy, perfectly salted -- and the tomatoes, which taste like they've been engineered for maximum summer. They only make 2 tortillas a day, so you have to stand in line before they open to get a reservation for a slice. Inside, it's tiny, loud, and joyful. The staff runs the place with precision and a wink, and even when it's packed shoulder‑to‑shoulder, it feels like you're exactly where you're supposed to be. Come early, come hungry, and come ready for a meal that feels like a Basque rite of passage -- tortilla hype and all.

Bar Nestor is one of those Old Town legends that actually earns the legend. It's tiny, slammed, and…read morelaser-focused on a few things they do better than almost anyone: the once-or-twice-a-day tortilla (you put your name down before service and pray), the txuleta that comes out perfectly salted, tomatoes and padrón peppers in season, and a handful of small plates that remind you why Basque cooking is among the greatest in the world. Our favorite bite here wasn't even the gorgeous stuffed ravioli, it was a "noodle" dish where the noodles are actually spiralized squid. Silky ribbons of txipiron, barely kissed by heat so they stay tender, tossed with good olive oil, a little oniony sweetness, herbs, and a snowfall of grated cheese (Idiazabal-like in flavor). Simple, clean, and surprisingly creative at the same time. Exactly what Donostia gets right at its best. The room is a crush (in the best way), the team is friendly but no-nonsense, and the whole operation runs very predictably: show up early if you want tortilla; be ready to stand; order the classics and whatever seafood they're excited about that day.

Atari was one of our favorite pintxos stops in San Sebastián. We sat outside in the open-air…read moreseating directly across from the beautiful Basilica of Saint Mary of the Chorus, and the setting couldn't have been better. Watching the square come alive in the evening while dining beneath the illuminated basilica made for a memorable experience. We ordered several pintxos to share, and every dish was excellent. The standout was the Carrillera (slow-braised beef cheek with mashed potatoes), which was incredibly tender, rich, and comforting. The Platillo de Bonito with tuna, anchovies, green peppers, and olives was fresh and full of classic Basque flavors. The Panceta (pork belly) was another highlight, perfectly crisp on the outside and meltingly tender inside. We also loved the creamy Croqueta de Jamón Ibérico, and the Bacalao Confitado con Pil Pil de Piquillos was beautifully cooked, with delicate cod and a silky piquillo pepper pil pil sauce. We couldn't resist trying the Pintxo Especial as well, and it was a great addition to the meal. The staff were warm and accommodating, helping us get a table outside and making us feel welcome throughout the evening. Inside, the restaurant has a lively, authentic Basque atmosphere, but the outdoor seating overlooking one of San Sebastián's most iconic churches makes the experience even more special. If you're looking for traditional Basque pintxos in a fantastic location, Atari is an easy recommendation. We'd happily come back on our next visit.

Service was good and restaurant was nice not too crowded and lots of options to choose from on the…read moremenu. They also had the menu in english which is helpful. We opted for a few pintxos for lunch while we were visiting town. We also had a couple of drinks my husband got whiskey with coke and I asked for a local cocktail since I'm not much of a wine drinker. I was handed a cup of pacharán which was a bit strong but was nice to try something different. The pintxos came out one at a time which was nice we were able to fully enjoy each on their own. The bao was the only one I didn't really like mostly the bun part. It didn't taste like it was cooked all the way and was a bit gummy and there was not a lot of meat filling. Next was the lamb which was really tender and flavorful. The couscous was ok nothing special and not much seasoning to it. Then the beef cheek and mashed potatoes came out which was the star of the pintxos that we had. It was also very tender and the mash was also cooked perfectly. All of this was shared between the two of us and was very filling. The waiter let us know that some of the pinxtos could also be ordered in a full size if we wanted. We enjoyed sampling the pinxtos and would definitely recommend coming here to get a taste of local cuisine.

Absolutely stellar dining experience with the prix fixe menu. The menu itself is a little tricky to…read morefigure out because it's in four languages, but our server was both attentive and helpful, especially with one member of our party who had some dietary restrictions! It's a thoroughly cozy spot that made for a fantastic couple of hours break from the sun in the middle of the day, whether you're going for romantic or lively. Everything we had was next level-- salad, fish, desserts- plus a great wine menu.

The food is great if you do not order the cheapest 25 euro three course dinner. Spend 10 euro more…read moreand get a bargain for the food you will receive. At 25 you will get a budget dinner with french fries worth of 25 euro.

Wow! Little more need be said... let the food speak for…read moreitself; you'll just have to get a table and enjoy. Instead let me wax lyrical about the incredible service... world class. Makes you feel like a king but also like family at the same time. That the world's best female chef made time for small talk says it all. Ps Shout out to the concierge at the Maria Christina for the last minute table.

Tucked up in the quiet Alto de Miracruz, Arzak feels miles from the Old Town shuffle; we took a…read morelovely stroll through the neighborhood before lunch and arrived already relaxed and having worked up an appetite. Inside, it's calm, bright, and welcoming, remarkably friendly for a restaurant with Arzak's stature. This is a true family house: the building began life as a tavern run by the Arzak great-grandparents in 1897, and today Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter, chef Elena Arzak, carry the torch. They're standard-bearers of New Basque Cuisine, and the restaurant has held three Michelin stars continuously since 1989. Our menu balanced playful ideas with Basque soul. A striped egg arrived nestled in a drift of puffed rice and flower petals, creamy, nutty, crunchy, and gently smoky; the kind of dish that makes you grin before the first bite. The texture contrast was killer. A sardine pintxo on a delicate biscuit, lacquered with seeds and a bright little dot of acidity, was pure hit-the-spot snacking. Then came hake kokotxas, those beloved Basque cheeks, set over a green, herb-forward emulsion with light dairy notes and ribbons of something pickled to keep everything lifted. It's the Arzak trick: modern framing around very classic lines. From the sea again, a monumental carabinero prawn arrived butterflied and just-cooked, crowned with citrusy zest and paired with small, sweet orange cubes. Powerful and ingredient-forward, as Basque cuisine should be. The meat course kept the restraint: thick, rare slices with a glossy jus and crisp, earthy garnishes. Restraint and boldness improbably worked together. Desserts were fun and varied: a rhubarb-and-strawberry composition that leaned tart and garden-fresh; a lacy, airy "waffle" scattered with vibrant red powder; a chocolate plate with honeyed, brittle-like shards; and those geometric little chocolates at the end. Service was genuinely warm and inviting throughout: attentive without choreography for its own sake, and the pacing let every course breathe. We left happy, full, and a little star-struck by how gracefully Arzak still threads innovation through tradition after all these years. It was a privilege to meet her after our meal. If you're a food-traveler, it's worth the pilgrimage.

Agatha made the experience special. The food was decent, but watching her working that entire…read moreinside with perfection was amazing. She's definitely a pro. But, not all my experience was great. Fish soup was tasty after I added salt. I enjoyed the salad, but overpriced for what I got, I think cause of location. I'm soloing Spain so sometimes it can be challenging asking for a table. In this case the dude that great me said he can only seat me inside despite several open outdoor tables. I agreed as I was cold. Soon, the inside filled up, but that was a rude move. Thankfully Agatha made up for his lack of service.

Food was good but waiter lets you order way too much. Eat…read morefirst and then add later. Fresh fish cost 100 euro. Be careful