Top Restaurants in San Sebastian - Donostia
Top Things to do in San Sebastian - Donostia
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Top 10 restaurants in San Sebastian - Donostia, Spain
While many visitors come for the beaches, arts celebrations and fiestas, San Sebastian-Donostia is serious about its food and drink. The Old Quarter’s narrow, winding streets are full of bars and restaurants, and in the modern city, sidewalk cafes are all around. The city specializes in seafood. Just make sure you know not to expect dinner at 6 or 7 p.m.—that’s much too early in Spain. Instead, tide yourself over with tapas, and enjoy eating and drinking late into the night.
Things to do in San Sebastian - Donostia
1. Arzak
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By rubinao59 - Wayne
This was an experience of a lifetime. The staff was exceptional, they worked like an orchestra. The food was not only beautiful but delicious. The highlight was when chef Elena came to our table and made us feel like she was welcoming us into her home.
2. Txepetxa
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 722 reviews
Reviewed By Sydney2000000 - Sydney, Australia
This pintxo bar was specialised in anchovies and recommended by our hotel hostess. Glad we went as we could order most dishes from the menu i.e. freshly prepared unlike some other bars had mainly cold items on the counter. The anchovy dishes were delicious but non anchovies dishes were OK not great. Went to another pinxto bar for variety but the quality was not as good.
Txepetxa was small but the service was better and more friendly than some others.
3. Agorregi jatetxea
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 435 reviews
AGORREGI restaurant, located in Donostia-San Sebastian, offers to his clients a quality service and dishes made using the best ingredientes selected by the chef Gorka Arzelus. Welcome.Gorka Arzelus has worked with the best Basque chefs: Martin Berasategi, Juan Mari Arzak and Pedro Subijana. He has also worked with the famous french chef Didier Garbage. Gorka has been the main chef in Arantzazu-Donostia hotel, and after managing the restaurant Benta Berri at the small village of Aia, he open Agorregi with his wife Beatriz Bengoetxea. Beatriz has a big experience on restaurant management.
Reviewed By simone6789 - Melbourne, Australia
We had the dinner gourmet tasting menu. The service was excellent - really helpful and friendly but not overbearing. I would recommend making a booking ahead of time as the restaurant was quite busy when we arrived and there aren't many tables. The food was just stunning. My favourites were the scrambled egg with truffle, the sirloin steak and the almond cake dessert. Portion sizes are quite decent so by the end I was struggling to finish the last two courses. We were recommended and excellent bottle of rioja - wines weren't terribly expensive either. Overall excellent value for money, great food and service. Highly recommend!
4. Astelena 1997 Restaurante
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 778 reviews
Reviewed By JulieVacances - New York
We enjoyed a fine meal at Astalena. After 2 night of pintxos, we were ready for something a little more traditional and slower paced. Astalena did not disappoint. Our waiter was super nice and helpful with our selection. We picked the tasting menu which offered gazpacho, crab/shrimp salad, risotto, cod, beef and an amazing bread and dulce de leche dessert. The pricing was reasonable (app. 42 euros per person + reasonably priced local wine), and the waiter comped us digestives to close our meal. The place clearly appeals to tourists, but they do a good job. The music was a bit monotonous… I would suggest something a bit more upbeat to lighten up the atmosphere.
5. Bar Nestor
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Eren O - Istanbul, Turkey
This little bar is really a gem in San Sebastian! Best steak ever, tasty tomatos and chilli are the man menu. You can also ask for Jamon, cheese Sandwich but going for the steak is highly recommended.
Also, They are doing the best tortilla you can find in Spain, but you need to go and register your name 1h before opening (so go at 12 or 7 respectively for lunch or dinner), as they do only 2 servings per day.
All in all, highly recommended!
ps: no credit card accepted.
6. Bar Sport
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Cold and warm pintxos in San Sebastian's old part. Good atmosphere and attention in different languages. Don't forget to try our foie!!
Reviewed By Margaret B - Kilkenny, Ireland
I really enjoyed this busy bee bar man! He made us feel very welcome... Chatting to us about the team he follows for basketball!!!! The man was up to his eyes crazy busy but made time to make us feel so welcome! Food was great...MoreMargaret B, good morning and thanks We like to know your opinion about our pintxos and staff We hope to greet you in the next visits to our store. Greetings from the Bar Sport team
7. Borda Berri
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Bigscot1982 - Edinburgh
San Sebastián is a foodies paradise and you don't need to walk far to come across a quality restaurant or one of the many pintxos bars but for me the whole experience received at the Borda Berri put it on top of the list. The food is as good as you would receive in any Michelin star restaurant along with a quality selection of wine and drink to compliment it.
Any time we visited there were people waiting for it to open or it was always busy but the food is most definitely worth it.
A must visit and we look forward to out next trip here!
8. Bar Gorriti
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 303 reviews
Este establecimiento se encuentra el portal de la parte vieja donostiarra, en frente de el mercado de la Bretxa. Ofrecemos una gran variedad de pintxos fríos y calientes: encontraras gran variedad de tortillas, encurtidos varios (entre ellos la clásica gilda); frituras como bolas de huevo, carne y marisco, croquetas, gamba a la gabardina (receta de la casa); opciones vegetarianas; ...
Reviewed By Veerle V
We went for pintxos at Bar Gorriti last night, which was a great experience! Here you can really eat pintxos like locals do!
When you enter the bar, you immediately see the pintxos, waiting to be eaten :) Just ask for a plate, and you can choose whatever pintxos you think looks nice!
The super friendly staff is always there to answer your questions, if something is unclear or if you want some additional information.
To drink we had a very nice red wine, and we also had the opportunity to try a local cider and a local white wine!
During dinner, we had a little chat with the staff, but it's advisable to speak at least a little Spanish, since their English is rather basic.
Overall we had a great experience at Bar Gorriti! If we might come back to San Sebastian, we would definitely go back there for some pintxos!
9. Zelai Txiki
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 334 reviews
Reviewed By AJC19682205 - London, United Kingdom
Literally in the middle of nowhere. This was a fantastic find. Beautiful venue providing both inside and outside dining. Splendid scenery and views. Helpful English speaking staff. Family enjoyed prawns, tomatoes salad, peppers and calamari for starters along with beautiful home made bread.....monkfish, hake with clams, lamb and steak for mains. All excellent. Deserts of chocolate fondant and grilled pineapple also fabulous. Complementary desert wine. Would throughly recommend and return.
10. La Madame
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 597 reviews
Located steps away from the iconic La Concha Beach, La Madame is the restaurant at the crossroads between the proud culinary traditions of the Basque region and the brave new world of international cuisine. La Madame utilizes local ingredients and an array of techniques to offer dishes full on flavor that are true to the restaurants ideals: fresh, clean, vibrant. La Madame also offers thoughtfully chosen wines alongside classic and “new classic” cocktail selections.
Reviewed By KIRANBHIRANGI - Lausanne, Switzerland
Close to the water, in San Sebastian but away from hustle and bustle sits this nice restaurant. The place is warm and welcoming the wait staff is efficient and friendly.
The menu has an American tone, i kept thinking with Spanish flare.
We ordered several appetizers, and main courses.
Beef cheek and burgers were the best (but the rest of the food could have been better). The fish was good but sauce mediocre.
It was not very expensive.
