They say not doing a Michelin star restaurant in San Sebastián is like going to the Sistine Chapel…read moreand not looking up. I did my homework and I decided that Amelia seemed to be the most universally appreciated of them all. Others were controversial or not open while I was in town. Also with Barcelona as our 1st stop on our trip, we had just enjoyed Disfrutar a few days prior. I noticed that chef friends that love the region, seem to be enthralled with the culinary traditions in the Basque region, more than the fine dining here. So I guess what I'm saying is, it's ok to come to San Sebastián, enjoy the Pintxos and quality of ingredients, and not feel like you need to do non stop Michelin stars. One slightly disappointing thing here, I was hoping to be sitting at a chefs counter, we put in a request for it, but since there was 3 of us, we were stuck at a table. Service was nice, but we missed the show that it felt like every other diner got and we were so looking forward to. At this price point reservations should probably guarantee a seat at the counter or table. We agreed to their non-guarantee of the counter, but you feel slighted when not chosen for it, and who wants to start their meal off with a disappointment. Won't dock them a star for it though. Started off with 2 beautiful presentations of protein and produce ingredients used in our tasting menu for this evening. It was a chance for them to tell us about ingredients and for us to ask questions. Wild Trout Roe - nice pastry crunch to contrast the roe that explodes Kamatoro/Palamos Prawn/Caviar - the richness of the fatty tuna, sweetness of the shrimp, and salinity of the caviar worked perfectly. Also loved the smoky gelee from tuna bones. Langoustine/ Champagne sauce with foie. The foie gras really mixed into the sauce here to create high end surf and turf. Ricciola and Tomato - beautiful amberjack crudo in tomato water with some Shiso oil added. King Crab/ Tear Peas/ Iberian Pork Broth - I was disappointed as the peas were late in the season and not impressive for me. Kind of tough and chewy. I'm not an expert in these peas, but this can't be what all the fuss is about. The Bread - I love when high end restaurants have such a respect for the art of baking, and present it as such. Lobster/ Pumpkin - the lobster was a little purposefully undercooked, which made me wonder if we overcook our lobster in the US. We just might. Lobster Revenge - different textures don't always have to include crunchy, we had this debate at the table. Was each texture different? Yes, so I loved this dish. Pigeon/ Onion/ Baby Zucchini - pigeon is used as the meat course often in European fine dining, takes on the characteristic of red meat. Quite a few shaved truffles also made it on the plate. Potato/ Oyster/ Vin Juane - pasta stuffed with potato puree. This had the flavor profile of a cheesy nutty wine sauce. Excellent Sage and Lemon Palate Cleanser was next - did its job in a refreshing way leading to desserts The Cheese - cheesecake, flan, whatever we are calling it, it worked. Daurikas Caviar/ Banana/ Rum - the only fail of the night. I'm getting tired of chefs doing the caviar on dessert thing, it's everywhere at the moment. And this one, to have the right balance should have had 1/4 or 1/5 of the amount. Couldn't taste the banana or anything else here. So much was just a waste of an expensive ingredient. Luckily we finished off a great meal at Amelia with an assortment of chocolates and other sweet goodies.

Seriously think there is only one place where Star Wars decorations, 80s American rock, and two…read moreMichelin stars come together for a truly sublime dining experience. But behind the secret door in the lobby of Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian, such a world exists. A stone's throw from the sea, the offerings lean heavily into seafood though the creations were as likely to have come from the seas surrounding Japan as Spain given how much Japanese cuisine and ingredients permeate the menu. I know about these origins because each chef and waiter presenting dishes and drinks shared details in confident yet non-condescending terms. They even had time to accommodate our questions about which dish was the most challenging to make. Chef Paulo Airaudo stopped by our table twice for unhurried chats that were as casual as the food and presentation were not. He explained with a shrug that the Star Wars kitsch was just something he liked. There was a Banksy replica or two mixed in as well (at least one original was at home apparently). That 80s heavy soundtrack, spiced with some James Brown and even one Pavarotti opera classic, is accessible from a code to scan on the card provided at the end of the meal with each a short description of each course. But the food and drinks. We each had a different glass of champagne to start knowing the full wine pairings option was beyond our means. Never knew a pinot noire champagne existed but glad I've now tasted it at least that one time. The starters were delicate with the French green beans and king crab rocking in a way that doesn't seem possible. The Kama-toro and Palamos red prawn was superb but the langoustine, foie gras and champagne was out of this world. Have no idea what they did to it but perhaps some flame applied to the foie gras meant it held together with a roasted taste that was like nothing I'd tasted before. The lobster, pumpkin and sansho pepper...honestly the photo of the "evening's culinary journey" gives the shorthand on all of it as it was all just amazing. First time in a Michelin stars restaurant and may be the only time. But if you are one who aspires to be rich in experiences rather than rich in things, a dinner at Amelia is truly an experience that will make you wealthy in life if less so in your wallet.

A perfect spot for small plates and a cool wine! We arrived…read moreas the opened and got sat with no reservation. They did pack out about 45 min later so I would recommend making a reservation. The staff was kind and helpful on recommendations. She even brought out two of their wines for me to try and decide between. We had the olives, tuna belly (in season) and steak tartare. All were perfect. The olives went well with our wine and the tuna belly was flavorful and juicy. The steak tartare was a highlight. Perfect consistency and topped with a runny egg, as it should be. I would love to visit their Australia location someday.

They open at 7:30 pm on the dot, I would recommend getting there right when they open if you don't…read morehave a reservation. From start to finish our meal was exceptional, quite possibly the best meal we had during our three nights in San Sebastián! The veggie salad was so fresh and tasty, the drinks were exquisite and we finished off with the meat tagliatelle which was unreallllll! Would definitely go back if I ever find myself in this part of the world again!

Congratulations on your 2024 Michellin star. However, I feel this is a 4.5/5. While the ambiance…read moreand service were stupendous, some of the dishes were odd. We had the white asparagus that was buried in parmesan cheese, and the asparagus was not visible or detectable on the palate. But most dishes were good. I liked the outdoor bar, we waited there for our table and had cocktails.

We had an excellent visit to this Michelin Star restaurant. The staff was very professional and…read morealthough English was not the first language,, they made efforts to let us know of the dishes being served. We selected the tasting menu, and all the dishes were favorable with very nice presentation. This paired with several bottles of wine made for an enjoyable experience Overall, we would highly recommend.

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!

Pamplona is most famous for it's San Fermin festival and the running of the bulls. however in the…read morelast few years it is starting to become a great destination for gastronomy. There are chefs from some of the bigger cities in Spain relocating here and doing great things. But there are also local ones that have gone through the world and have come back to make great restaurants. The long standing Pilar Idoate has her small little empire with her family for sure. Chef David Yarnoz has taken the old mill house on the outskirts of Pamplona in Urdaniz and created a gastronomic oasis for the area. Navarre is an interesting area. People consider themselves Basque or Spanish, there is not a lot of folks that think of themselves as both. Kingdom back in the day was quite powerful and of course comes lots of influences of war and conquest. So you get the influences of the cooking of said Kingdom and a chef that expresses all the products and techniques of what it is to be in this region. It's an amazing experience to off the beaten path, away from the main city and be able to eat high end interpretations (they also make classics at the sister space) of the Navarran countryside. Ill let the pictures do the talking as I myself am still trying to learn the traditions and evolutions of this region

Our wonderful tour guide made us reservation at this restaurant. It was in a different part of town…read morethat we had not seen. We arrived and they had a table reserved for us. It was neat next to us was a young guy from Boston. Then after he left a family from Canada. It's always fun talking to others. My husband and our friends husband had the steak and fries. My girlfriend and I had the monkfish and shrimp on a skewer. We shared salads and we had a couple of desserts. Cheesecake, and puff pastry. Of course we got a bottle of red wine. One they said was good and it was. This place is small, but pretty efficient.

Great evening! Our food and house red wine were fabulous! What a find. Neighborhood tapas bar…read morewith stellar food items. I f you visit San Sebastian, you need to come here. Fun, low cost evening. Service was excellent with a full house. Croquets were best I've tasted in Spain. Locals & tourists alike flock here so make a reservation.

I was with my family eating on Sunday, 14. Food and service were very good. Price OK, according to…read morefood quality. However, the place was beyond cozy and felt cramped. I think that if they do not have adequate space, then, they should not accept large parties. We were accommodated around a round table next to the kitchen where space was tight. In addition, the place was cold. We let them know and service said: "We just turned off the heating system". Ok, that was the reason why we were complaining and they did not do anything to fix it. We ended up eating with our coat on, which was not nice and marred the whole experience. To sum it up, food and table service were good, ambiance and conditions, not so much. A pity that such a nice place could not / did not want to pay attention to details.

Very good restaurant. Also a wine bar with a large wine list by the glass quite cheap…read more Typical basque cuisine with best quality products. Fine décor and very friendly staff. Highly Recomended.

This place gets five stars for the wagyu hamburguesas alone. It's like rare wagyu beef on an…read moreeverything bagel! Exceedingly good. I had to have 2 orders. In general, good solid tapas, a good wine and beer list, and overall the best food I've had in Spain so far. Overall the service is pretty sluggish, and not a lot of English spoken here, but hey, it's in Spain. If you want English go to England.

One of the best places for "Pintxos" or tapas in this area around the Calle Licenciado Poza and the…read moreCalle del Maestro Garcia Rivero. Lively, original Pintxos and friendly staff ! Not to be missed !

Great tasting menu at a reasonable price. One of the highlights of Biscayne cuisine. Amazing…read moretraditional foods such as ox tail and white fish plus outstanding presentation.

By far, the best meal of our 11 day trip in Spain! Incredible tasting menu and special service…read morefrom chef and general manager...we stumbled upon this place and could not be happier. We organized a wine tour as it was close to Bilbao airport and we were flying out at 6 pm. After our excellent wine tour, we ventured up to the restaurant - highly recommended for anyone in the Bilbao area - this is a must eat place and will likely be Michelin rated in November as main chef is a 3 star michelin and this is his concept restaurant. We would have loved to eat at the 3 star michelin restaurant on premises, but did not have enough time... Soooo great! Get a reservation..The 9 course tasting and outstanding presentation can't be missed. it will make your trip!