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

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.

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.

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.

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.

You want to know where some of the Spanish Michelin star chefs eat? Well one of them is Xixario…read more The sleepy town next to the water is a mix of coast, steep hills and very Basque culture. I had seen videos of this place for years and had no idea it was reference point for chef's days off. The Arzak family, Quique Dacosta, Martin Berasatwgui, Andoni Arduiz, for example. And they'll bring folks like Enrique Olvera, Javier Plascencia and their other chef friends it's kinda staggering who havee dined at this very straight forward parilla. If you look at the wall facing the restaurant there is a large relief/sculpture of sea bream. Orio and thisnarea is alll anout Besugo. They habe txuletas, rodaballo and all the other staples of Pais Vasco but besugo what you want. You should also do a plate of gambas de Huelva. Tose things are like crack. The prep for these are seemingly simple. Manage your fire, cook with your instincts, and make sure you hit the window when the product is just perfectly cooked. They spray the seafood with some combo of pil, citrus, garlic and maybe the local Txakoli wine. . Then salt liberally. I crushed the gambas super quick and tore the besugo a new one before anyone knew I had even started. Phenomenal. Pair that with a bottle of the local,coder and youre good to go. The dessert of a cream napoleon was good and the espresso decent but I feel like I should have hit a plate of langoustines instead. But thats just me. Or maybe a txuleta...i digress The staff were a bit hesitant about a foreigner at first and then warmed up to the fact that I spoke Castellano and understood their culture. I then found out that the protege of the original owner was a guy from Tijuana! Wat! He'd been working there for years and the boss finally said it was time to retire so he's basically run the operation up until now and he taking full ownership. When he learned that I had an ex from the area near Tequila he brings out a bottle Centenario. Wat again! Next thing I know we are doing shots with some of the villagers and they're having some acclimation issues with the Tequila but we are having a great time regardless. I Felt suddenly like I was part of the community. Ive always enjoyed my time in the Pais Vasco and is has only cemented my love for this area. Outstanding food, hospitality and friendly locals setting up an unbelievable atmosphere and experience

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

Come here and have the t-bone, a bottle of sidre (cider), a super fresh salad, and relax. This is a…read moreBasque style steakhouse. The restaurant provides bread and a little tapas (or pintxos) to get you started. This was fresh crusty bread with a soft fluffy center and a small place of sausages. Sidre is the drink to order! I think a whole large (wine bottle size) bottle is only 8€. It's fun to watch it being poured from a height by your server to aerate the beverage for enhanced flavor. It's like apple juice but tart, sour, and so refreshing. The salad of butter lettuce and thinly sliced sweet onions with olive oil and vinegar was perfection. It was so fresh and the dressing was perfect. The main course, the T-bone steak for two was sheer excellence! The steak came on a sizzling platter and was served with potato frites, perfectly simple but delicious! The steak platter continued to sizzle throughout lunch, so the precut steak pieces could be seared or cooked longer if that was desired. The meat is served medium-rare automatically, so the sizzling stone allows you to adjust the cooking of the steak after its served. This was by far the best meal I had in all of Spain. After dinner the server brought over pacharrán shots, an herbal plum-based after dinner aperitif to help with digestion. It's served in frosted shot glasses. We had one and thanked him for it, then maybe we had one more. What a way to end a great meal-with a buzz. This place is a little pricey, but very much worth it. So glad we came here and dined. It's looks humble but the food is the star of the show here!

This is a wonderful restaurant! We had been driving all day and were exhausted, hungry, and hoping…read moreto find a place that could make us feel at home. La Gabarra was the perfect place at the perfect time! The owners were very patient and helped us with our selection. We shared a T-bone steak that was beautifully cooked and delicious, a green salad, and a bottle of wine. We finished the meal with a nice cheese and jam board... If we are in Bilbao again, we will most certainly return to this restaurant! Great food, simply prepared, kind and friendly owners... just can't say enough nice things about this restaurant!