Loved the food, authentic Italian, great service and the ambiance was beautiful and relaxingread more

Very nice people but it's basically an Olive Garden of a slightly better quality. Pictures on the…read moremenu, fake Italian decor, the whole package. Big portions, though, if you're hungry, want pasta and you're not a fussy eater.

You must eat here. The food is outstanding. An eclectic menu with traditional Basque meeting…read moreinfluences from Asia, India, Latin America. All prepared with care and attention to detail. Portions are generous. Flavors are big and balanced. Just delicious, whether seafood or meat or vegetables. We had scallops in a deep seafood stock, grilled hake with Thai infused coconut milk and lobster oil, and classic Indian butter chicken. Each dish outstanding on its own, all from one kitchen is wow. Presentation is thoughtful and beautiful. Vibe is cool without trying to be cool. Feels relaxed. Fun music playing without being loud or intrusive. Staff are fun and friendly and precise in their care. And to take it all to the next level was our host, Cesar. Not just thoughtful and welcoming but his passion for each dish and the care and thought that goes into them was obvious. His joy is genuine and we appreciated him sharing details with us so we could be part of the fun. In a city with so much wonderful food, La Madame stands out because it is a sit down restaurant, serving fresh and inspired and delicious food, with care and creativity and obsessive detail and pure happiness. Make a reservation, it's worth it. And take in the joy Cesar shares with you through every dish.

We are so glad we chose this restaurant! D---DIEGO--- made us feel welcome from the moment we…read morearrived and shared the culture behind the food, which made the experience even more memorable. The food was outstanding, especially the scallop, the broth they were served in was incredible. The spicy mango margarita was one of the best cocktails we've had. Great service, amazing food and drinks, and an overall fantastic experience. Highly recommend!

This restaurant is one of many located and what is considered the old part of town. A more modern…read moresmaller restaurant in a charming location. There is lower level and street level, indoor dining as well as outdoor seating. Without a reservation, you would be lucky to get any seating particularly during the few hours they are open in the afternoon. They open again later in the evening. We were fortunate enough to come in at the last minute and snag a table downstairs. Our server was very pleasant, and quickly brought us our drinks from the full service bar. There is also a nice wine menu. The specialty of the house is paellas. If you are not a fan of seafood, I would strongly recommend you try something else! Seafood paellas are cooked with shellfish and fish broth, which can make them saltier standard rice dishes. The calamari were done perfectly and the paella was a generous portion with good flavor.

I love coming here for the paella, it's always delicious! The service is consistently good, and the…read moreportions are generous. A great spot for a satisfying meal.

We really enjoyed A Fuego Negro. We ended up going twice…read more Their menu is very interesting. Definitely try the vermouth. The fried chicken was very good! The chicken lollipop with chicken foot was delicious. I really enjoyed the olives filled with vermouth gel but my wife did not. The meat brownie was also incredible! The Kobe slider is fantastic. The squid ink donuts were delicious as well. Very earthy and brined. I can't wait to go back to SS to give AFN another try!

A Fuego Negro did not disappoint! Their Michelin Star is well deserved. It's located deep in the…read morebustling Old Town. Not very easy to find, but well worth the search. Inside the restaurant there is a bar counter with prepared pintxos layed out. We were there for the famous Kobe beef sliders and the potato chip fried chicken. Wow, they were amazing! Both selections were seasoned to perfection and the chicken was finger licking good too! I hope to return one day and definitely go for the Kobe beef slider. It was that good. The staff is accommodating and the service is excellent. Don't miss this place if you're in San Sebastian. It's well worth the search to find it to sample their delicious food. Yummy!

I love bar Pepe. It's where I start my day out, and where I end my night. They are great for…read moretheir pintxos and the people working here are always extra friendly. Bar Pepe is a great spot to pop in for a bite of food and a drink while catching the latest game on tv.

Quick stop after walking the 2 mile La Concha beach and checking out the queen's summer palace…read more-Miramar, now government offices. 3 Tapas/pintxos , a tuna sandwich, glass of red and a capuccino for 13euros. Not bad at all. Warm pintxos are better of course since they're freshly cooked.

I miss the gambas a la plancha and the menu of the day I used to get there. Now it's been purchased…read moreby new owners who cater more to tourists so some of the previous vibe is missing. The food is basic and they are willing to put foil on to go.

Some of the best food and service that we hand in the entire week we spent in Donostia. Food was…read morefantastic. We ordered a few pintxos to share. Beer was excellent and cold. If I ever make it back, this will be one of my first stops. Very inexpensive, great value.

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.

We chose La Cepa for our last meal in San Sebastián before heading to Bilbao, and it was the…read moreperfect way to end our pintxos adventure. Since we arrived a little early, we were lucky enough to get a table before the lunchtime crowd arrived. La Cepa is known for its Jamón Ibérico, traditional Basque pintxos, and Txuleta (Basque rib steak). The hanging Iberian hams behind the bar immediately catch your attention and give the place a wonderfully authentic feel. I was still on an anchovy high after visiting Txepetxa, so I couldn't resist ordering another anchovy with olive pintxo. It was simple, fresh, and delicious. We also sampled a variety of jamón pintxos before finishing with the Txuleta, which was juicy, perfectly grilled, and simply seasoned with flaky sea salt. It was exactly the kind of meal we wanted before leaving the city. The counter was filled with tempting pintxos, and we also noticed specialties like foie gras, tortilla, grilled seafood, and an impressive selection of Iberian ham, giving us another reason to return. If you're planning a pintxos crawl through San Sebastián's Old Town, make sure La Cepa is one of your stops. Arrive a little early if you want a table, enjoy a few pintxos, and don't miss the Txuleta. It was a memorable way to end our stay in this incredible food city.

This was the second stop on our sort of self guided Pintox tour, as we were recommended this spot…read moreby a local. It has also been on of my favorites thus far. We came here after bar sport, so the calm environment and big space was a nice change of pace. There was a bit more of a language barrier here so we weren't able to ask what their specialty was, but ended up ordering based on what looked good. We went with a pork belly skewer, chorizo and peeper skewer, and 2 of the crab and shrimp pintxos. We thoroughly enjoyed all the pintxos we had here and at 18 euros for 4 pintxos and 2 glasses of wine this one felt like a great deal. Probably won't be back this trip because there are so many places to try in a short amount of time, but would definitely come back in the future and do recommend this spot if you have room for quite a few pintxo bars.