We went to several "Sidreria" in the Basque Country and this place was far and away the best…read more Perched atop a hill with great views of the Atlantic and Zarautz below. The dining room is nicely appointed. The food was fabulous, in particular the steak. You won't regret making the trek here. You'll need a car.

Muy bien! A simple selection of fish and a long list of starters. They also had an English menu,…read morewhich was nice. We got the fried peppers (pimientos verdes), fish soup, monkfish, and rice pudding. Everything was delicious. Our original plan was just to get one appetizer and then two different fish mains. But our waitress told us the monkfish was huge and definitely enough for two people to share. So we started with the peppers, then got the monkfish, and figured we'd order more if we were still hungry. The peppers were delicious, and the monkfish really was a good portion for two. It was super simple, like most Spanish seafood I've had so far. Just some herbs and lemon, but mostly letting the flavor of the fish speak for itself. Afterwards, I got the rice pudding for dessert and my boyfriend ordered the fish soup, which was technically another starter. I liked the rice pudding. It had a strong cinnamon flavor. But honestly, the fish soup was my favorite part of the whole meal. It was super flavorful and even had clams in it. The taste reminded me of the sauce that comes with Thai roti. So good. We left full and happy. There was a funny moment at the end when we tried to pay. The card reader wouldn't connect to the internet, so the waitress started waving it around in the air and walking into different rooms to get a signal. We tried scanning the card like three or four times. Finally, another waiter came over and connected the card reader to his phone's hotspot, and it worked. I'd definitely recommend Telesforo if you're visiting Zarautz. I'd suggest making a reservation ahead of time, even just a few hours before. It's one of the few places that opens for dinner a bit "early" at 8 PM. When we got there right at 8, we were the only ones in the restaurant. Right at 9 PM, the locals came in, kids and all. I guess because it's summer and the sun sets late, but still. That's way past my bedtime.

When I came to Spain, I envisioned long, relaxed meals in cozy, clean restaurants with unbelievably…read moregood food at very reasonable prices, by American standards. My experience at Telesforo went beyond my imagination. We were the first to take a table at just after 1 pm, and by the time we left at 3, the entire restaurant was full! Easy to see why. We started with the asparagus, which was good; then the fried green pimentos, which were delicious; followed by a mixed salad with mushrooms that was excellent... I joked that each course superseded the previous, and then they brought out the main dishes and I knew I was correct! The squid in its own ink was so rich and delicious I couldn't resist mopping up the sauce with bread. My companion had the grilled squid, which didn't have the incredibly moist, melt-in-your-mouth quality of my squid, but rather had such a crisp, smoky grilled flavor that I couldn't decide which I liked better. The two of us shared and cleaned up both plates, which left no room for dessert but we settled for coffees. The whole price at the end was entirely reasonable, much less than we would have ended up paying for an equivalent experience in the US. We will never forget this meal and I would come back in a heartbeat!

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.

The best steak ever. Moreover, the entire experience was first rate. The people were extremely…read morefriendly and helpful. The place was beautiful. The menu was simple. We had a wonderful appetizer of white asparagus, the steak, grilled peppers which were extremely sweet, and a salad. The steak was perfect: sweet, salty, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, just barely cooked. And to top it off, the entire meal for two, including three glasses of wine, was 200 euros. Highly recommended!

Made the trip Donostia to Tolosa for steak. Staff are…read moreefficient but hardly friendly. Get the feeling this place is starting for believe the hype. So the veg is great. The wine list is impressive. The selection of steak is good to look at, but I left knowing I could have done better on the Braai ( look it up). All in all a very serious experience when a little mirth could have gone a long way.

Ugh, I want to be honest but I also want to highlight the good part of the experience, for it was…read morenot a wasted meal. This was not a favorite flavorful experience, for the most part. We did however thoroughly enjoy the small sirloin steak. It was tender, perfectly cooked medium rare, delicious and the best part of the meal. It came with fries that were properly crispy and delicious. Perfect amount of salt and so good!! I would go back for the steak in a heartbeat!! We ordered the tomato and tuna salad, it was OK. Wouldn't order again. The poached egg was different and tasty. It had mushrooms and I enjoyed it. I would order this again. The clams were tasty but a bit larger than I usually like them. I wouldn't order them again. Absolutely did not like the crab. It had so much of the shell that had to be spit out. I would not order this again. I would go back for the steak!! The wine was not my favorite either, we got a bottle of Muga. I will ask for a recommendation next time. I also thought it was super strange that almost everyone with a jacket was asked to hang it on the coat rack (which we didn't notice when we entered), but ours hung from our chairs. This was a last minute trip and we booked what we could for dinner. While I loved the steak, the other things we ordered were a miss.

We shared a majestic, 5-star tomahawk steak cooked perfectly inside a fire oven/grill. We also had…read morefries and a simple, much needed green salad - both were very good. Service was delightful because it was happy and frisky.

What an awesome place! Hiked up from our flat in Casco Viejo, worked up and appetite, and we're…read morerewarded with an excellent lunch! Had the lomo, ensalada, pimientos, and txakoli. All were excellent! Can't wait to come back next week!

What a great stop! Come in the afternoon, as that is the only time you can consume this much meat…read moreand not feel guilty. 30-day aged beef from Galixcia, and salt-crusted and grilled almost Black And Blue for you to finish table side. Fantastic wines.

Lovely small bar where the 1kg steak is for sharing on the hot plate that lets you each determine…read morehow you'd like it with a side of tomatoes or the most awesome grilled salted peppers. We started with the ample deep fried calamari and one of the two rose wines. The steak and peppers stole the show though. Seriously good and a lot of food. We made a reservation for dinner on a Friday night. You can call but we stopped in and put our name in the BIG leather book. Definitely advisable as there aren't but 10 or so tables. We sat outside which is lovely on a small intersection with mostly foot traffic. We smelled the steak before we even rounded the corner.

Wow! Great find just off the main drag…read more Service was friendly, quick and very helpful in pick just the right amount of food. Location just off the high street or great. Not too quiet and plenty to look at rolling by. The food! Tomatoes, peppers, and the steak!!! I really don't need to say much as the pictures tell a far better and more delicious story that I could ever tell.

Awesome place in a great town! This is one of few places I'd stop by on regular basis without a…read moredoubt. Tremendous foie gras pintxo (fua like the locals call it)! It can be busy like any other pintxo bar in the afternoons. Definitely i'll go back specially during the san fermin festivities. cheers

Great food. Good value. Good atmosphere. One of the better places we visited in the old city.read more

This came as a recommendation from another restaurant in town. Little did I know there are two…read morecompeting Asadors across the river from each other! Both are excellent. The difference here is their chuleton is for 2 so bring a friend or be prepared to go Bengal Tiger styles. Folks are super nice but make sure you practice your Euskera/Castellamo because Inglés is at a premium