After exploring Bilbao's charming Casco Viejo, we made our way to Gure Toki in Plaza Nueva, and it…read moreended up being one of the highlights of our trip. The pintxos counter alone is worth the visit. Every bite looked like a miniature work of art, making it almost impossible to choose. We started with the Gilda, the iconic Basque pintxo of olives, Cantabrian anchovies, and pickled guindilla peppers. It was bright, salty, and the perfect way to wake up our appetites. The Idiazabal cheese soup with quail egg was one of the most memorable dishes we had in Bilbao. Creamy, silky, and comforting, it was topped with crispy potato sticks, crunchy corn, herbs, edible flowers, and a perfectly cooked quail egg that made every spoonful rich without feeling heavy. Another favorite was the tuna served in a vintage-style sardine tin, topped with roasted red peppers. The presentation was clever, but the quality of the tuna really stood out. It was incredibly fresh, tender, and paired beautifully with the sweet peppers. We also couldn't resist the jamón Ibérico on toasted bread with grated tomato (pan con tomate). Sometimes the simplest pintxos are the best, and this one showcased just how exceptional good Iberian ham can be. Everything was beautifully presented without sacrificing flavor. Even though the bar was busy, service was efficient, and the lively atmosphere made it feel like a place where both locals and visitors come for outstanding pintxos. If you're visiting Bilbao, Gure Toki is a must. It's the perfect place to experience traditional Basque flavors with a modern, creative twist.

Definitely a must visit for pintxos. Presentation, service, and quality were tops. A perfect place…read moreto experience pintxos for the first time.

A neat little neighborhood tapas place that I found based on a referral from a tour guide. At 9:30…read morePM on a weeknight, there was a good bunch of folks at the high tops outside and a half-dozen bros drinking beers and having a good time outside. So I decided it was worthy and went inside for dinner. The menu is printed on several pages and this, they do it properly with English, Spanish, etc. on separate pages but IN THE SAME ORDER. So once you work out that you want "Fried Green Peppers" on the English page, there it is on the Spanish page. I did have the peppers to start and they were very good. My worry that they were going to be "Jalapeno hot" was unfounded as they were simply delicious and easy to eat. For mains, I chose the shrimp and they were served whole. I'm not a fan of whole shrimps with head and tails and legs still on, but I worked through it. A good portion and they were also dusted with a coarse sea salt. Very delicious, slightly messy but enough napkins and I was good to go. The "House Rioja" was nice and crisp with the shrimp. My first meal in Bilbao and I'm off to a great start!

One of the most renowned Pintxo houses in Bilboa. Famous for their truffle and spider crab…read moreversions. Both verified delicious. Had a small beer code named "Zurito" and a small vermouth code named "marianito" The play is to order the best pintxo and a small drink and move on. Thus the service is scaled that way. They were helpful and quick. Ambience? You stand on street with 80 other people. Go with the program and drink it in

The restaurant is one I found to be recommended for pinxtos (small, bite-sized snacks often on a…read morepiece of toasted bread). We sat outside and were told to order food inside. The thing about sitting outside is that there are smokers. :/ The pinxtos are premade and just heated up. We tried txangurro (spider crab) gratin, artichoke in tempura, and crispy squid with onion. I was a bit disappointed, because I didn't care for any of them. The bread was quite crusty. I guess pinxtos aren't my thing.

One of the most colorful layouts of pintxos awaits at Zurekin, a tapas bar in the new city of…read moreBilbao! The classic tortilla made with egg, sliced potatoes, and lots of olive oil was juicy and succulent. The taco bonito was a rather dry but meaty chunk of tuna topped with chopped onions, tomatoes, and peppers, and plenty of olive oil. But the most unique pintxo I had came with two thick slices of creamy, melty brie cheese topped with a compote of mixed berries, and skewered with a mint leaf and a raspberry. Such a colorful melange of ingredients, and the sweetness of the berries had a nice contrast to the unctuous cheese!

We ordered the 'boletos salteados, huevo a baja temperatura y jamón' but they forgot the ham...It…read morewas a dish of mushrooms with a loose egg in the middle. We then ordered the entrecot which was pretty good. Bread was great, there seemed to only be one waiter around so no ordering extra drinks. Would've been easier to just get pintxos and drinks at El Globo next door.

Excellent food, incredible service. No visit to Casco Viejo would be complete without several stops…read moreat this lovely place. Frequent enough and the staff will remember your favorite drink!

Baster ended up being my last meal in Bilbao. It's a neat spot but on a Saturday night, the inside…read morewas packed and all the outside seating was packed. I sort of lucked out as I placed my beer and pinxtos order at the outside counter just as a nearby standup table opened up. The Estrella was cold and satisfying. My sandwich took a little while to be headed up in the panini press but worth the wait. Tasty, filling and delicious. It's a neat spot right next to the big church wall. Neat space. Totally would return.

Super casual bar we stumbled upon on while walking in Casco Viejo and it didn't disappoint…read more Service was amazing, food was excellent! And the price is very reasonable!

This was one of the first pintxo bars we visited in Plaza Nueva. The food was delicious; we tried…read morethe croqueta pintxo and a gilda, and the Txakoli was good as well. This location was also the only place where they served the Txakoli in a chilled wine glass. We were lucky as the place was empty, but later that evening, you couldn't even get in to order. It just goes to show how good their pintxos are!

Spain has 5,000 kilometers of coastline (3,100 miles)! With…read morethat much accumulation of saltwater at your fingertips you have a hell of a lot of choices of what your seafood meal can be. Today, for lunch at Serantes here in Bilbao, Spain, us six had a boat full (excuse the pun) of amazing marine cuisine that was about as good as any food from the ocean I've ever had: Squid, Octopus, Shrimp, Prawns, Urchin, Cuddlefish and any other food that swims. The service was stellar, the ambience was quiet and serene, the wines were delectable and the price for this extravaganza was not New York, L.A. or San Francisco prices. My stay here in Northern Spain has been breathtaking along with delicious. If I'm anywhere near 500 kilometers from Serantes, you better know I'll be back here lickity-split!

Everything is always wonderful. The staff, food, and music, too. Always get rabas, but don't skip…read moreon the tortillas and ensaladilla. A great wine selection, as well!

Truly one of the most bizarre and aggressively unpleasant dining experiences I've ever had. If you…read morehaven't been verbally abused in a while, look no further! My family and I came here during our trip to Bilbao. My sister and I ordered the meat medallions and simply did not enjoy them. Instead of forcing ourselves to continue eating meat that tasted like it came out of a prison cafeteria, we politely asked if we could order something else instead. The server or manager, still unclear which, although the ego strongly suggested management, immediately became defensive and hostile. He started lecturing us about how the meat is "supposed" to taste, as if informing us about pre slaughter cattle nutrition was going to magically improve this metal tasting dish. My sister continued patiently repeating that we did not enjoy this meat and asked if we could replace it with something else. At that point this fully grown man, who appeared to be well over 60 years old, aggressively grabbed the plates, slammed them together, and said, "Well I don't like the meat in your country, you Fu***** bi***." My sister is a minor, which makes the entire interaction even more disturbing. After his dramatic exit, loud enough to make the whole room uncomfortable, he shuffled back a minute later to continue explaining the meat to us as though we were lacking the intellectual capacity to understand the flavor profile of tenderloin beef. By then our appetite was gone, the atmosphere was ruined, and we decided not to order anything else. The medallions started it, but he finished the job, completely killing our appetite. The most concerning part is that he appeared to be in a leadership position. If this is how customers are treated for politely sending back a dish, it raises serious questions about basic professionalism in this restaurant. Bilbao has far too many incredible restaurants to waste your money being insulted by a man whose emotional stability clearly isn't suitable for the hospitality business PS: After reading other reviews, it appears there is a recurring pattern of defensiveness and hostility toward criticism rather than any effort to resolve issues professionally. How surprising. Shame on you sir. And shame on the restaurant for being represented by such an unprofessional individual.

This is the best restaurant we have eaten at in Bilbao. When you first enter it looks like a…read morenormal Pintxos bar, but they have a very elegant dining room in back. They open for dinner at 9pm, and you will need reservations. We had our hotel arrange the reservation. They specialize in Ribeye and fresh fish, both grilled. We ordered the Ox Chop Ribeye for two. It weighed over a Kilogram and was prepared to our request of medium-rare. It came with a fantastic amuse bouche of puréed squash soup and a bite of a seafood salad. We split a fresh lettuce, tomato, grated cheese, and olive oil salad. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and tasty. The steak was the best we have had in Spain. In my younger days I could have finished it all, but no more. The service was very attentive and the staff was very helpful and friendly. We considered ordering grilled octopus as a starter and they said it would be to much. They were right. It was not inexpensive (€171) but worth every euro. Can't recommend it enough.