We had the duck and the fried pork ears and they were so good!!!! the place is packed but don't let that stop you from trying this place, they have one of the best pinxtos at San Sebastian! Price is amazing with what you're gonna get! read more

Borda Berri - Right- crispy pork ears, Left- duck - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

Delicious and highly recommend! This spot lives up to the hype. Highly recommend the beef cheek and risotto. The place does get packed but we got lucky and went right when they open and was able to get a spot at the bar. read more

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This is one of the few establishments in Old Town that offer fresh, hot tapas (not on display). The short rib was good as was the wine but small pours compared to other establishments. Servers were friendly and efficient. The bar wasn't too crowded or noisy when we arrived. read more

Borda Berri - Bar - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

San Sebastián is unbelievable food everywhere you turn and we ate at Arzak but the Beef cheek and kabob were two of the most memorable bites of food. I had an all San Sebastián. I will remember this for the rest of my life and highly recommend. read more

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In a city overflowing with extraordinary food, Borda Berri still managed to become one of our favorites. We went twice and planted ourselves at the bar both times, ordering off the chalkboard as one does in Donostia, and were never disappointed. The crispy pig ear was a small marvel, cooked to the exact point where the exterior shatters and the interior turns silky and springy, then rolled so each bite layered tenderness with that pleasurable cartilaginous chew. The foie gras terrine ranked among the best I've had anywhere, cool and impeccably seasoned, with just the right scatter of flaked sea salt to make the richness really pop. Asparagus was in season all over the city; here it arrived with a beautifully judged sauce that highlighted its sweetness instead of burying it. The ravioli stuffed with rich umami slow cooked pork was flawless. The gentlemen behind the bar treated us with unhurried care, guiding us through the board on both visits. If you're wandering the historic old town in Donostia, make a point of stopping in. It's the kind of place that reminds you why this city's reputation is so deserved. Highly recommended. read more

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This was one of several Pinxtos stops that was amazing! Standing room only and we were lucky to snag a counter space at 10:20pm! They close to new people at 10:30 but it was still packed then and they continue to serve past 10:30. Such an experience- the risotto was rich and sinful and the Kebab absolutely tender, rich in flavor and delicious! Don't plan to sit often in San Sebastián but you can eat & drink to your hearts content read more

Borda Berri - "Kebab" ( basque pork rib) - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

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The absolutely best pincho place in the Barque country and one of the most sophisticated establishments I've ever been. SERIOUSLY DON'T MISS THIS ONE, and order all pinchos. If you miss one from the menu, you will retreat for life. The kitchen is incredibly small, and works like a gunmachine. They send pinchos to the bar at a speed that you have a constant flow of delights since you arrive. The oreja al chimichurri is a total masterpiece. The callos de bacalao al pil-pil are a total experience. The fish and meat in all their versions are just perfect. Portions are small, so you can perfectly order all. The Standish Kent is just a bar, packed with people around it. Two people serving customers from the bar with such an oiled system of notation that everyone is happy and engaged. Is a perfect choreography. Bar and restaurant owners from around the el of should come here to learn the joy and beauty organization can provide. You can't be in Donosti and not come here. read more

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Im quite disappointed with this place. The service was fine. The dishes recommended on Yelp, Google, and guidebooks were... well... terribly underwhelming. The only thing I liked was a dish that was NOT one of these items, which was the fish of the day. Very nice local tuna. Otherwise, risotto, pork rib, and ravioli all left something to be desired. Great prices though. I just didn't see anything amazing about this place. I feel as though you really need to go and spend some money on the big dishes in donastia- don't bother with these pinxho restos. They are all soso at best. Too much hype! I'd love to be with my entire family so that i can order a whole plate of turbot and a huge plate of shrimp! read more

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They were close on this last visit. Sunday to Tuesday close. But I've been to this place twice and one of the best! read more

My wife and I spent a month is Donostia, or San Sebastián, and did our fair share of Pintxo crawling. Borda Berri was among the top spots we visited! The place is filled with character--bartenders shout out the orders to the kitchen crew as they pour glasses of cider, the bottles suspended several feet above the glasses to add bubbles to the drinks. We arrived as soon as it opened on a recent evening, and it quickly filled. We had a grilled tomato pintxo stuffed with mozzarella cheese and smothered with olive oil and ground pistachios. It was an excellent mix of textures and tased wonderful! We also tried the rib kabob pintxo, which was cooked perfectly and so tender that it broke apart as we stuck our forks into the meat. Located among the dozens of pintxo restaurants in the city's historic parte vieja, Borda Berri is a spot you do not want to miss. read more

Borda Berri - Grilled tomato stuffed with mozzarella and covered with olive oil and ground pistachios. - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

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San Sebastian is famous for its pintxos/tapas scene, and it's no wonder when you visit Borda Berri! Small place, but it serves mind-blowing dishes that you'll remember for the rest of your trip. Dishes I ordered: 1) Risotto with sheep's cheese: one of my two favorites I ate. Normally, I don't like risotto, but I was surprised to find this dish made from orzo (which I like) and the sheep's cheese made it absolutely divine. Warm, creamy, and with the slightest chewiness from the orzo was a heavenly pairing. 2) Cod tripe on pil-pil: I like cod and I like tripe, but put together, I found it a bit too slimy for my palate. The pil-pil sauce was delicious, though. 3) Veal cheek cooked in red wine: the second of my two favorites. The veal absolutely fell apart upon cutting with a fork, and melted in my mouth before I could even chew it! Could taste the rich, red wine as well. So good! 4) Crispy pig's ear with romesco: I like pig's ear, and I enjoyed the crispy exterior/tender interior of this dish. It was a tad too gelatinous for my liking, but still tasty. I'm also told the lobster/sweetbread ravioli is a popular one, but I didn't order it. However, at Borda Berri, you can't go wrong with any dish you order! read more

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Akin to all its neighboring bars, expect chaos and a ton of people crowding around the bar to get an order in. The risotto is what's worth coming here for, hands down. Other favorites were the Beef Cheek and the Lamb Kebab. read more

Like many other users have noted, the risotto here is EXCELLENT. Initially I was skeptical, and upon the first third I almost thought it might be a tad salty? However, after the second and third bites I realized it's not too salty, it's just part of the flavor profile and it's amazing. Light for a risotto, but full of flavor. We also had the veal which was delicious, it tasted like beef/short ribs! So tender! The cod ravioli was also very flavorful. I wasn't a fan of the pork ribs or the pork ear, but that's because I am not a fan of pork. I would 100% come back again just for that risotto! We did have a short wait to be seated on a Saturday night, but that's to be expected. read more

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the pintxos here were all really good. the servers were friendly and quick, dishes came from the kitchen quite quickly. great ambiance read more

Borda Berri - cod - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

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So yummy the pork chop was fire and the summer wine yummmm I would go again and there's lots of places close to it so fun area

If someone were to ask me to recommend only one pintxo bar in Donostia, I'd go with Boeda Berri (and also try to talk them in to going to more than one place! :). Highlights for me were the magret (duck) -- maybe the best thing I ate in 2 nights here -- and the entrecôte. Crowded and popular for a reason. read more

Yum, yum, yum. Great value and umptuous pinxtos. We tried so many and everything was great. They also were serving a Muga Reserve Rioja that was perfect for ever bite. Highly recommended. It's a small place and always packed so expect to wait for a spot. It's worth it. read more

The pork kebab is truly something special.

Borda Berri is one of the best pintxos spots in San Sebastian. People start lining up outside before the place even opens for dinner service. Some of their popular pintxos here are la oreja de cerdo (pig's ear), el "kebab", la mejilla de ternera (veal cheeks). The staff here has knowledge of English so if you don't speak Basque or Spanish, it's not an issue. We had the pig's ear, veal cheeks and foie gras terrine while we were here and everything tasted delicious. The veal cheeks were very tender and hearty. The foie terrine was standard and was good. Finally, the pig's ear was a large fried and crunchy piece served atop a Basque chimichurri sauce. read more

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Have only tried a couple dishes at Borda Berri (because they sell out of their most popular stuff), but they were amazing. Small bar, fills up and their food goes quickly, so head in early. The risotto is incredible - super creamy, rich, funky, and delicious. Made with orzo and idiazabal, it's an amazing combination. We also tried the raviolis which were great. read more

Borda Berri - Risotto @davideatsdc - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

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Fish and meat tapas get a 5 as everything else pales by comparison. This basque tapas bar have a few things that others don't have. It is very crowded but I think you just need to get some elbow grease in for these old town basque tapas joint. No sitting down meal, find a counter space and start to order lunch. It closes at 3 so hurry up or you'd be missing out. Towards later in the afternoon things start to run out. Always remember to ask what they have before you order. Get veal cheeks, beef cheeks, fish of the day, squid, risotto and anything else they have on the menu. It's the weirder stuff they serve that grabbed me. I have never had such tender cheeks. grilled octopus were super tender. And they give you baskets of bread. Water is on tap and is free which is unusual to me in many parts of Europe. Will say this is one of the gem places in the old town. When you are doing the pinxto strolling, don't miss this one. read more

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Cyndy's Bottom Line: Unfriendly ambiance We stopped for a quick pintxo and txakoli just in time before the rush. Unpleasant atmosphere and experience. No aloha. read more

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This was my favorite tapas place in San Sebastián. We were put on to this place from our tour guide from Go Basque, Ander, whom with we took a tour to the txakoli wine region which I would highly recommend. We had: - "Idiazabal Risotto" (Risotto with Idiazabal Basque cheese) - "Kebab de costilla de cerdo" (Pork rib kebab) - "Carrilleras" (beef cheeks) All were amazing, but my favorite was definitely the pork rib kebab. I could have eaten many more. It is mostly standing only, but there are bars you can eat off of. You can go out in the street for a little more room. read more

Borda Berri - Risotto and beef cheek - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

This has the absolute best tapas. I still dream about the Idiazabal Risotto (made with orzo as others noted). This dish is an absolute dream... so much so that we had to come back hours before our flight to have it one more time. You can't miss with the other choices as well and the deliciously light cava. If you can only go to one tapas bar during your time here, this is my vote. read more

I'm giving this place the extra star because their food was phenomenal! Pigs ear Ribs Cod tripe in pil pil Risotto But the atmosphere was tight, ridiculously busy, perspiring hot, and old. It's a mom-and-pop type of business with a single register, writing down order on slips which seems like a very antiquated system compared to all the other restaurants in the area. read more

KenScale: 8.0/10 Borda Berri is another well-known pintxos bar in San Sebastian in the city's old quarters that seem to have endless bars showcasing the Basque cuisine. It just looks like a bar with not much space for eating, but I didn't mind standing up while nibbling on pintxos as I had been driving a lot during my stay in the Basque. After a long tasting menu lunch at Azurmendi that day, my stomach was still somewhat full but I decided to march along and stop by San Sebastian to cap my culinary journey in the Basque here. The menus at Borda Berri look deceptively simple, but all of the dishes I had tried had interesting twists. You can get all of these at pintxos size, half portion and full portion. I was impressed with the creamy risotto with Basque sheep's cheese. It's certainly not an ordinary risotto and the rich yet delightful flavor of cheese was all over the rice. Fillet steak with wholegrain mustard vinaigrette came with red pepper and was cooked very nicely as well. This place has been well-known for its veal cheeks with red wine sauce, so obviously I had to try that. The meat was very tender and the red wine sauce, instead of over-seasoned, added another dimension to the texture of the meat. I was beyond full at this point, but if I wasn't, I probably would've gobbled up the entire portion of the meat by myself. The bar has lively atmosphere even at 9 p.m. at night when I walked in. You can order a glass of wine or beer to complement your meal. While exploring these pinxtos bars in the Basque area, I wish I had larger stomach to try as many dishes as possible. At places like Borda Berri, there were at least a couple of other dishes that I would've loved to try. It is another of solid destinations to explore the beauty of pintxos in a casual atmosphere. read more

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We've been here twice and the pintxos are great - this is definitely a staple in our pintxos crawl. The pintxos are more traditional than gastronomy/creative which is great for a more typical taste of Basque cooking. They tend to run out of things pretty quickly, so if you're looking for something specific here, go earlier in the day. It's much less crowded for lunch than during the evening/night. This place is super crowded at night and they are out of a lot of their more popular dishes. Kallo de Bacalao al Pil-Pil - This is a traditional Basque dish and worth trying if you're in the area. The fish is not really a fish/flaky texture, but more of a chewy or gummy texture. It goes well with the sauce and the complimentary bread. Ravioli de txipiron en su tinta - I had ravioli at several places in San Sebastian and this was probably my favorite. It was just one decently-large sized ravioli with small pieces of squid and also had squid ink inside. If you like seafood/squid, this is a good choice. Risotto with Idiazabal cheese - This was what everyone seems to get here but I didn't love it; it was just orzo with a creamy, cheesy sauce with a slight smoky flavor. I thought it needed mushrooms or asparagus or some kind of vegetable mixed in with it. They serve this at a lot of other bars (some with other things mixed in, and some just plain). This is a great place to come get some pintxos that are freshly made and are more traditional. It's not expensive and you'll get a good feel for a more old-school pintxos bar. read more

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3.5 stars We went to Borda Berri twice over the course of a few days. I recommend going right at opening time if you want any chance of sitting down. After a week of pintxos hopping, we were dying to just sit down while eating. We snagged two seats at the bar and we sure as hell were not going to give them up, so we ordered round after round of tapas. The veal cheek and the risotto were the clear winners for me, though my sis liked the pork kebab best. We ended up trying nearly everything on the menu, but everything else was kind of forgettable. It was one of our favorite stops in San Sebastian. read more

Hands down, BEST pinxtos bar we experienced in all of San Sebastian! Unlike the majority of the bars in the area, Borda Berri makes absolutely everything on their menu to order - and this helps them stand out from the rest. Both mine and my wife's favorite stop(s) of our entire two week trip to Portugal and Spain. We were in San Sebastian for 4 days (3 nights), and visited Borda Berri THREE times. The food quality and taste here was literally as good as a Michelin starred ~300+ euro dinner, for a TENTH of the price! (although obviously the Michelin experience offered some other intangibles and superior service) We tried & recommend all of the following (in order of my preference): Carrillera de Ternera of Vino Tinto (3.50 euros) - A whole veal cheek, slowly braised in red wine and served with two types of sauces. The meat literally falls apart (in a good way) before you can put it on your fork, and the depth of flavor is incredible. This remains one of my favorite bites I've ever had, anywhere, and the price is unbeatable. Risotto de "Puntalete" con Queso Idiazabal (3 euros) - I don't think risotto is a typical Spanish dish (especially a risotto with such a sharp cheese flavor), but this dish is absolutely incredible. I assume the reason we didn't see risotto on any other menu in town is because other establishments know this dish would be impossible to compare to. "Kebab" de Costilla de Cerdo (4 euros) - This is not a kebab in the traditional American sense. It's actually a giant pork rib. Very tender (although not quite as much as the veal cheek), and the outer coating of the rib tastes like candy. Entrecote con Berenjena (4 euros) - This is basically a filet mignon. Very simple, and not quite as much flavor as the veal cheek dish, but the quality of this cut of meat is incredible and cooked a perfect medium-rare (recommend, especially given the price) Ravioli de Langostinos y Bacon (4 euros) - This is the one dish that we weren't completely WOWED by... The dish is a single, good sized ravioli, with a distinguished Asian flavor profile (which was a surprise to us). The flavor was good, but we weren't able to identify any good sized chunks of langostine or bacon inside - the filling is more of a blend/puree. Given the price of this dish compared to the others mentioned above, we only tried this one time and didn't repeat as we did with all of the others. Think of this more as an above average asian style dumpling than an Italian ravioli - definitely something to try, but wasn't our favorite. Service & atmosphere: Friendly enough, but mostly business. Keep in mind that they are extremely busy, and since they cook all dishes to order, they are sometimes a little chaotic. It is truly incredible that the bartenders usually just shout back all of the orders to the kitchen, and we didn't experience any missing or forgotten dishes for ourselves or the other patrons. Once you fight your way to the front and make eye contact with a bartender/server, be prepared to order or expect them to quickly move on to someone who is ready (kind of like the Soup Nazi - but definitely friendlier and a little more forgiving). I think I was on good terms with the bartender with my readiness, because by our second and third visit here, she always winked at me whenever we put in a new order or asked for "la cuenta" (the check). Atmosphere: A crowded and hectic, but SOOO worth fighting for a spot. Don't expect to find a seat here unless you get lucky - there are only 4 stools in the whole place from what we can tell (all of which were spread out, so even if you got one you definitely won't get a second next to it). Tip: No English menu available -- come prepared! read more

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Idiazabal risotto was fantastic - creamy, delicious. We also ordered another specialty, the cod tripe in pil pil which was probably the first dish that I couldn't eat in as long as I can remember. Thinking about the mushy texture still makes our stomachs turn a bit, but hey, some people love it. read more

Borda Berri - Risotto - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

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The risotto with sheep's cheese! The veal cheek! The romanesco sauce on the pig ear! So many amazing dishes from this place...the meat dishes are definitely on the heartier side. The pig ear was a whole chunk (vs slices as I'm used to with Chinese food) and quite fatty. The veal was hefty with a medium prob but very tender. The green beans were okay and the summer soup interesting though not as good as everything else. Overall a delicious and affordable experience! read more

During my short visit to San Sebastian, my pintxos crawl took me to many different bars, but Borda Berri was definitively my favorite. The food was incredible, and the prices were reasonable. My favorite pintxo of the whole trip is a tie between Borda Berri's pulpo and carrillera. Octopus can sometimes be tough, but their pulpo tentacle was incredibly tender. I now see why good octopus can trump fish, since it's meatier. And the outer skin of the pulpo was amazingly crispy. To add on, the trio of sauces on the plate, including a cheesy potato cream and a sweet tangy red sauce, were absolutely packed with flavor. Just as satisfying, the carrillera stewed beef cheek was some of the most tender beef I've ever had. Absolutely fork tender, it brought me heaps of joy to pull apart the moist strands of meat with such ease. The red wine sauce was rich and flavorful, though it was a bit salty, so it helped to use the free bread to dip and offset the salt. Another ridiculously good pintxo was the iberico rib "kebab," which is basically just a pork rib. With a very crispy outside and a moist and tender fatty inside, this is another meat lover's dream. Though again, the salt is a bit much. The pig ears pintxo is very similar tastewise, but I prefer the meatiness of a rib rather than the chewiness of pig ears. Again, this place was my absolute favorite, as it had multiple pintxos that validated my trip to San Sebastian. This is an essential stop for any great pintxos route. read more

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Gelatinous, fatty, rich, tasty. This was my experience with all the items we ordered and I would order again if I was in town. A must go tapas bar in San Sebastian. There's always a large crowd waiting to put in their order. We ordered the crispy pig's ear with romesco, foie gras, pork rib, and veal cheek. These plates are meant to be shared. Although, if you were to wash down every bite with a sip of wine, I would be able to finish everything by myself. Otherwise, my brain goes into sensory overload. read more

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One of the best in San Sebastian and came back multiple times on our tours. You have to be aggressive to get your order in, but once you do they will remember what you ordered and will find you. DO NOT GRAB ANY PLATES ON THE BAR UNLESS ITS HANDED TO YOU. They will also frown on you trying to pay right away, but sometimes it's best way to make your escape quickly to head to other bars. Study the menu ahead of time so you know what to order. Loved the veal cheek! It was surprisingly tender with a complex smokiness. Ravioli was great and had a good flavor combo. read more

Borda Berri - Ravioli - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

Amazing pinxtos at Borda Berri! I have never been to San Sebastián, but since coming we have noticed many Pinxtos Bars are meant for the tourists--it's a trap!! Borda Berri is the real deal. I saw this place on numerous authentic pinxtos bars list and even a paella list (to note paella is not from this region of Spain so anywhere selling it in San Sebastián will probably be mediocre). Instead what was noted in the article was the Puntalette Risotto with Idiazabal (sheep milk cheese) which was INCREDIBLE. The great thing about this place is you can order any dish in the small pinxtos size (imagine a small bread plate), or a half portion (what is pictured here), or a full portion. The half portion was perfect for 3 people. Also highly recommend the Ravioli, ours had lobster and bacon, the Crispy Pork Ear (super yummy but texture was fatty and a first for me), and the Pork Rib. All flavors were fantastic, you'll want to scoop up any leftover sauce with the bread they serve. We also got drinks here. I really liked the staff compared to other pinxtos bars, they were professional and helpful! Lastly to note that this place is small just like most places, they have standing space inside and outside. Expect to be in close quarters but boy is it worth it!! read more

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Another good pinxto bar! We received a list from our hotel of food items we must try from each pinxto bar. Ordered: 1) Beef cheeks: 4/5 Very tender 2) Pulpo 4/5 Delicious and tender 3) Foie Gras: 4/5 Come early or else it gets packed, like the rest of the pinxto bars. The alcohol is so cheap, compared to back home! read more

The sheep cheese risotto is a must get, very creamy, but not too rich (especially if you put it on the bread you are given) with a strong cheese flavor. The bacon and shrimp ravioli was also good (great flavor and nice thin pasta wrap, but the pasta wrap was slightly too tough, forcing you to eat it in one bite). Someone else has posted about the "ideal" meals in SS. I disagreed with some of his points, so I'll post my must goto places in SS: Borda Berri: Sheep Cheese Risotto (3 euro), Bacon and Shrimp Ravioli (4 euro). I hear the tuna steak, ribs, and veal cheek are also good, but I have not tried. Le Cuchara de San Telmo: Duck Ravioli, split a Foie Gras. Atari, Sirimiri, Gandarias, and some other "cold pinxtos" places to get your fill of (and eventually desensitize yourself from) the alluring variety of cold pinxtos. Atari/Gandarias' solomillo (mini steak) is worth trying. Bodega Donostierra: Completeo, tortilla Honestly, La Cepa and La Vina's deepfried milk ans cheesecake werent all that special for me. However, they arent bad, so if you really wanted to itch a sweet tooth, you can check those out. Havent tried the tortilla or the steak from Bar Nestor, so I can't comment here. read more

Borda Berri - Basque Near Me - Donostia / San Sebastián, SS

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The risotto was all the raves!!! Have you ever had a basque regions risotto????? It's unlike anything you've ever tasted. The creaminess is out of this world!! Almost as if you're eating a melted bowl of cheese. But better. Not too rich either. Or rich tasting! Idiazbal cheese!! That is all. So amazing: you wouldn't wanna split this!! And you shouldn't!!! The beef cheeks/ Veal cheeks were what they were known for! I like it. It's a bit too rich for me!! But it was good. The tiny ravioli aka raviolo with shrimp! Delish!! The octopus was a little too burnt for me. But the thrill of crowd fighting, ordering and enjoying your risotto standing up: well that's as San Sebastián as it get!! Love! And it's cheap!! read more

Hands down the best place to go for food in town. This gets better to arrive at a time when they are not busy at all (2PM before they about to close). We had a wonderful time here the first time around. Second time being night time busy hour, we didn't stay or even bother to order. Food menu is in Spanish and I simply ask for the top 4 to 5 dishes and a few more after looking at other people. Don't judge but if you were there, you would had done the same. San Sebastian where wine is cheap and food is amazing. People are wonderful as well. Borda Berri is the place to go after a good swim preferably afternoon time. I would suggest the duck (best duck ever), steak or simply tell the waitress to bring anything she likes. Food might be a bit under cook sometimes but they definitely not cold. if you want sandwich pintxos, this is not the place. they deserve a Michelin read more

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Borda Berri may have been our favorite pintxo bar in San Sebastian. We went early on a Saturday night and returned late in the evening for more, but half the dishes were sold out by then. They were open for Sunday brunch but closed Monday and Tuesday, so we lost our opportunity for a second visit. We had 3 dishes, all exceptional. The Kebab de Costilla de Cerdo was a braised pork rib finished on the flat top - delicious! The Risotto de "Puntalete" con Queso Idiazabal was a macaroni and cheese dish made with orzo and local sheep's milk cheese. Very dirty! Most interesting was the Kallo de Bacalao con Pil Pil. What is Kallo you ask? Subsequent research reveals that it is fish tripe or fish maw. The Kallo had a soft, rubbery texture that was quite delicate and very tasty with the Pil Pil sauce. Not for beginners. read more

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