Arzak

Incredible service, remarkably creative degustation menu with full marks for presentation and freshness of ingredients, and elegant restaurant all round. The pigeon was my favorite of all the dishes, but each was so different from the last that its almost unfair to compare one from the other.
Worthy of its fame and michelin rating, but also terribly expensive. San Sebastian isn’t the most expensive city in Spain but this was certainly one of the most expensive restaurants across the country.

Absolutely one of the best meals of our lives. Really nice restaurant, amazing service, and just about the most well crafted food I have ever seen. We had a selection of approximately 15 dishes, with great wine. The wine was way more reasonable than we were suspecting, starting off around the 30 euro mark for a bottle. Most of the dishes were seafood, but got into some great ham and lamb towards the end of the menu.
Thank you arzak for such a wonderful experience.
Just go!

We celebrated our anniversary in late September at Arzak.
Wow. Just wow.
Friendly, elegant but not stuffy. Incredible service and staff.
Hard to describe but we’ve traveled extensively, and this place is at the top of our list. It’s like Performance Art. With wine. Ha ha.
I attach our menu.
Highly recommended. Booked via email two months in advance.
Visit this place to enjoy the event. Do not be dissuaded by anyone.

We celebrated our anniversary in late September at Arzak.
Wow. Just wow.
Friendly, elegant but not stuffy. Incredible service and staff.
Hard to describe but we’ve traveled extensively, and this place is at the top of our list. It’s like Performance Art. With wine. Ha ha.
Highly recommended. Booked via email two months in advance.
Visit this place to enjoy the event. Do not be dissuaded by anyone.

Possibly the best dining experience of my life. From the moment you enter the restaurant you are treated to a level of service and courtesy that is unparalleled anywhere on this planet. The diner must understand that Elena Arzak has huge shoes to fill and she does this with confident grace and charm. Her dishes are all unique and wonderfully thought out, the diner is undoubtedly left with a sense for the level of attention paid towards the presentation of each and every dish. The wait staff are incredibly knowledgable and very perspective, every glass or water and wine is topped up at precisely the right moment. If you leave food on a plat the maitre d’ curious of your disappointment will ask if there was anything wrong with the portion. The meal itself stays true to Catalonia, the maitre d’ will tell the curious dinner of their suppliers stories and the nuances/​challenges involved with working with local, seasonal ingredients. When at Arzak its best to submit, go in with out reading to much and expecting anything, Sit down order the Menu and just be casual, eat talk and be surprised…

Simply put one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life. It was a full experience, with one of the dishes coming out atop an ipad playing ocean noises and a photo of the sea. The food itself was extremely well presented, in many times recreating a scene you might stumble upon in nature.

Selections:
2013 Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Blanco
White, Wheat, Olive Oil
Moringa and Prawn Gyoza
Beans and Apple
Banana and Squid
Marinated Sardine and Strawberry
Txistorra with Beer and Mango
Cromlech
Fluke marinated with «patxaran» and dusted with purple corn
Lobster with Bee’s Pollen
Red Space Egg
Monkfish and Rhubarb
Duck with Potato Feathers
The Big Truffle
Milk and Sea Buckthorn Pot
Ice Cream Assortment — Lemon, Apple, Red Fruit
House Herbero
Toqued by the father/​daughter team of Juan Mari and Elena Arzak with ownership and operation of the restaurant dating to the latter’s great-​grandfather in 1897, the style of Arzak has been described as everything from abstract to avant-​garde by visitors for nearly fifty years since Juan Mari took over the kitchen, and described as an «Author’s Cuisine» by the Chef himself the focus is perhaps best summarized as «bringing years of French training back to the history of the Basque.»
The most storied of the region’s 3* Michelin, Relais & Chateaux rated properties, my visit to Azark was actually on the restaurant’s first day back from a well deserved break, and although Juan Mari was still away at a culinary conference his daughter and a staff of twenty were already hard at work when doors were opened at 12h00, another full booking seeing diners stacked in the lounge until seating began one hour thereafter.
Unmistakably fine dining, linens crisp and silver polished in a well adorned space that spans two-​stories and several rooms, it was at a large table on the main floor that seating was offered to smaller parties as a group of twelve occupied much of the space above and declining opting for a dry Spanish white as I perused the multitude of menus it was with one substitution that the meal began, service beyond compare throughout the afternoon.
Presented two warms breads with freshly pressed olive oil to begin, each fine if not particularly creative and replenished without need for request, it was just five minutes before the first of six canapes was brought forth, the unfamiliar sweet plant bolstering the flavor of prawns in crisp dumplings while a bottle of pureed beans were lightened by lightly fermented apple.
Continuing a theme of bold flavors married to natural sweetness with a briny sardine wrapped around strawberry alongside a banana crisp topped in squid, the most interesting bite offered to the majority was no doubt the ripe mango matched to pork sausage while a bonus plate was shuttled my way for «coming such a long distance,» the tempuraed Cromlech inverted to be eaten «like an icecream cone» incredibly complex flavors of coffee and onion dancing amidst unctuous flavors of seared foie gras.
Taking every chance to offer unique ingredients, sometimes for looks but also often for taste, the 2015 tasting menu officially began with snappy slices of fluke ceviche with a boozy herbal tinge and progressing next to a raised glass square of sweetened lobster over an LCD screen I only wish the flavors would have been as inspired as the presentation, a tepid pool of acid offered in one corner while passion fruit gel threatened to unbalance everything at the south center of the plate
Perplexed by the zucchini served prior, apparently intended as a bridge to flavors yet to come, course three was entitled «Red Space Egg» and although again elegantly plated with a great bit of texture the taste itself still left me wanting as red pepper flooded the palate to the point where one could hardly decipher the flavor of pork let alone any sort of funk or ‘ferment.‘
At this point hitting a lull in service that saw thirty-​five minutes pass before grilled Monkfish and Rhubarb were delivered with a beautiful tableside sauce of lillies it was finally with this penultimate savory that the experience finally lived up to its billing, the «feathered» duck to follow another unique bite with rosy soft flesh augmented through the addition of crisp potatoes with lingering notes of pine.
Told «The Big Truffle» should not be missed and not particularly sold on the minty dessert offered as part of the menu it was at no added charge that a substitution was made to the first of two sweets and although the tableside «melt» was no more impressive than that done elsewhere the purity of flavors was certainly appreciated, the sidecar of ice cream sporting an almost ethereal texture replicated in the herbal green scoop served with candied peanuts alongside Milk softened Sea Buckthorn bathed in smoked Sheeps Milk with Crispy Sweet Potato adding texture.
Treated to a clever cage of frozen bon-​bons before a lengthy tour including the kitchen and wine cellar where lights went out temporarily to redefine «pitch black» it was back at the table that a small glass of house Herbero was offered, the punchy digestif a bit more than I could handle but apparently a reinvention of a traditional Catalonian liquor that the Maitre D’ was quite proud of and I was not rude enough to refuse.

Yes, I know, three stars. But if the three in San Sebastian I would say this is the weakest.
Lots of ideas but do not translate into superb taste. I need taste and textures and clever combinations that work surprising well. Not just great looks.
Lobster on a flat panel display that shows the sea and crashing waves? How does that help the taste of the lobster? It does not.
Large chocolate truffle ball? Look, pouring a sauce on it will result in the ice ball collapsing. What? I would be more impressed if it flies. But collapsing? Why is that even a surprise?
However, the tapas or sushi size raw sardine with white creamy cheese and marinated strawberry was a clever combination that worked very well. But I expected a bit more from a three star restaurant with an international reputation of being one of the top ten in the world. Come on.

THE SERVICE: was unbelievable. Incredible attention to detail: from the moment you took your last bite of something to the moment the empty dish was removed from your table was mere seconds; from your last sip of wine to the time another glass was poured, still only a few seconds. The courses were quick; yet not rushed. Everything was perfectly timed.
THE ENVIRONMENT: was impressive. It was slightly «stiff» at first, with people being extremely quiet, a little reluctant to have their phones out on the table, and sitting up straight appearing not to be able to relax (this was us too, at first). But once the wines were poured and the evening progressed, people were starting to laugh, snap photos, and relax in to their chairs. It was almost as if we all had no idea how we were expected to act in this particular 3-​starred restaurant; but once the servers started joking and laughing with us it was like we were all given permission to relax and have a good time.
THE FOOD: was incredible. Between the flavors, the unique preparations, the textures and the playful nature of the dishes, everything exceeded our expectations. However, when I think back to our evening at Arzak, a few specific courses stand out:
the Lentil Cookie with Ssamjang (my favorite dish of the evening)
the Scorpion Fish Pudding with Kataifi
the Sardine, Green Pepper & Chili Sphere
the Cromlech with Onion, Coffee & Tea
and, the Red Space Egg (my second favorite dish)
These dishes were excellent. Fun, full of flavor, and filled with unique ingredient combinations
When I think back on my favorite presentation of the night, that was easily the Red Mullet that was displayed on a glass platter on top of a tablet playing a video of water and crashing waves. So unique and a fun touch to the dish. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Mignardises; such creative and unique ways to present tiny sweets! Some were gelatinous, some were chewy, some crunchy; but all resembled something far from what they tasted like (I never thought I would eat chocolate nuts & bolts!).
As the evening came to an end, we were beyond full. I honestly dont think I could have eaten one more thing. In fact, I didnt even finish my portion of the Mignardises because I. had. no. more. room. for them. But I was blissfully happy, even though I was borderline too-​full to move. I was also quite drunk; the wine pairing was no joke! If we ever make a trip back to Arzak I will be sure to ask for half of the wine pairing, because over the course of the evening I drank waaay too much wine.
Then, before we got up to leave, Juan Marie Arzak came out. He took the time to stop by each and every table, talk with them for a few minutes (with the help of his translator), and snap a photo. At that moment I was beyond blissfully happy; it was such an amazing way to end such an incredible meal. Im not one to get star-​struck; but being able to meet Juan Marie Arzak was enough to get me giddy with awe :)
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: if you ever find yourself in San Sebastian, Spain and are a lover of food and fine dining, you must come to Restaurante Arzak. Its an incredible, amazing experience that can only fully be understood and appreciated if you experience it for yourself.
It was easily one of the best nights of my life and was hands down the best meal I have experienced to date.
for a more lengthy review, click here:

How do you even begin to review the best restaurant you’ve ever been to? Top 10 in the world, three Michelin Stars, a hallmark of the world’s food capital. Whether it be vision, finesse, or flavour, everything was on point. Service was atypically intimate for a restaurant of this calibre — Juan Mari Arzak and Elena Arzak personally greet every table multiple times throughout the night, which I found to be a refreshing departure from the ‘haute’ pretentiousness of typical fine dining restaurants while staying true to world class standards of service, elegance, and ambiance. The meal itself was incredible — uncompromising taste amidst an abundance of various ingredients, techniques, and molecular gastronomy. Definitely worth a special trip.

A world class dining experience that arouses your senses, brings surprise, and has the feel of a family operation. No reason to do anything but explore Arzak through the tasting menu.
Our table of 6 choose to play it safe with one or two of the courses, such as swapping out the foie grass course with a crab option. I’m not a big foie fan, but felt someone had to try the tasting menu as structured by the chef, and dutifully made the sacrifice. It was no sacrifice at all.
Favorite bite: Sausage, mango appetizer served on a beer can. And the foie gras, to my surprise.
Favorite presentation: Monkfish with rhubarb on a clear plate with ocean waves. Won’t spoil it for you.
Service was outstanding. The servers at times would explain the plates too quickly to our group of non-​Spanish speakers. But one, a woman, would set a plate, make sure we understood when we looked puzzled or had a question, and spoke slowly to us so we could discern her descriptions.
Savor the experience. We did.

We had a large group in a private room, with a several course meal. The food was amazing. I love that dinner is not a rushed event here; it’s an experience of the company you’re with, and each individual plate you share and all of their ingredients.
Many places that get creative and artful end up forgetting taste along the way, but that is not an issue here. The presentation is amazing, as is the taste.
Meeting Juan Mari and Elena was also a great experience. I’m not a full-​on foodie, but a couple in our group were, and one brought a book for them to sign, and literally started crying tears of joy to be able to meet them.

What an amazing meal. Absolutely one of the most spectacular meals of my life and one that I will always remember. Of the 3 star Michelin restaurants I have been to, this one is my favorite by far. The service was impeccable, the food was perfection, and I never felt so comfortable spending so much money. I really cannot recommend Arzak enough.
I’ll start by saying, I am pregnant and also have a peanut allergy. This did not phase the staff at Arzak at all. The knowledgeable waiter immediately recited the list of American pregnancy standards that they would specially prepare my meal by (he specifically asked if I was adhering to American pregnancy standards, as they do differ from European)… a breath of fresh air in Spain where they have little to no pregnancy restrictions on pasteurization and less restriction on raw/​preserved foods and alcohol. They were even careful enough to tell me that they use peanut oil throughout the menu so they had to basically cook my courses in different batches. Not a problem for them, but I couldn’t taste my husband’s food. I felt so touched that they took such care in making the menu work for my restrictions.
So we did the tasting menu and they basically gave my husband the 2 regular choices from the menu on each course (we LOVE that you were able to choose) and then gave me 2 choices that were pregnancy safe and peanut free. Sometimes my choices were completely different from the regular menu, sometimes they were not. Either way, I enjoyed every bite of every course. The flavors and textures were on point the entire way and I didn’t want the meal to be over. Unlike in some other tasting menus where I would get full by the end and leave some food on my plate, each imaginative course at Arzak was eaten until the plate was basically cleared of any trace of food. It was simply decadent.
The highlight of the meal was when Juan Mari Arzak came to our table at the end of the course to say hello and give us his well wishes. The touch was spectacular and just really made the experience more personal. I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Everything you’ve heard or seen about Arzak is true, especially all the stuff on David Chang and Anthony Bourdain’s shows. Its better than amazing. We were lucky enough to get a private table in the Kitchen where we could see the army of chefs preparing courses upon courses. And Elena Arzak introduced each course to us. My girlfriend was kind enough to forgive me drooling over culinary royalty. Do it! Its a once-​in-​a-​lifetime experience

I had a wonderful, memorable, delicious meal at Arzak. My boyfriend and I came here on our last night in Spain. After sampling all the delicious food in San Sebastián, we had high expectations for Arzak, and we not disappointed.
Arzak seemed like a fairly typical high-​end, classy, restaurant. Very clean, minimalist design for the interior, and located in a pretty nice part of town. The waiters/​waitresses and staff were very attentive, explained everything on the menu and were incredibly knowledgeable, and were quick to accommodate.
My boyfriend and I both wanted to try as many things as possible, so we opted for the tasting menu. With the tasting menu, the are several options for each course. Thus, my boyfriend and I each chose different dishes for each course so we could sample as many dishes as possible.
The dishes were all excellent! I wasn’t blown out of the water by any of them per se, but I did enjoy every single bit I took. The flavors were all spot-​on, the presentation was beautiful, and each bite was really an experience. The dishes seemed very traditional, San Sebastián-​esque, full of local ingredients. All the dishes were paired perfectly, complementing each other so nicely. Every bit was a melt-​in-​your mouth delicious, and the entire meal was such a wonderful way to wrap up my trip to Spain.
Arzak is a splurge for sure, but definitely worth it! Book wellllll ahead of time (months ahead, if possible), because they tend to fill up quickly. I definitely feel a little guilty because now, i compare all my fine dining experiences to my time at Arzak, and that’s probably not fair for everyone else. But hey, Arzak deserves it!

WOW, what an experience! We got a last minute (i.e., one day before) reservation for six at the Chef’s Table. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. Further, they were more than accommodating to some very serious food allergies, did not bat a lash, and made excellent substitutions. We all had the tasting menu that consisted of many innovative and impressively presented courses. The sommelier made excellent suggestions for different sections of the meal. We highly recommend Arzak if you are in San Sebastián.

The 4 star rating is being rated on a level of a Michelin restaurant. It would have been more but I just didn’t think the price was worth it.
We went to Arzak as our big splurge when we were in San Sebastian. It was definitely a wonderful experience it to have gotten the chance to eat at this legendary place, but to be honest I don’t think it was worth us spending as much money as we did. Don’t get me wrong… the food was really delicious and the waitstaff was very pleasant to us. Elena is doing some really wonderful things with food, and the restaurant ambiance was top notch. If this was the only place we had gone for a Michelin experience I might not have known any better, but the two other places we went to were almost just as good if not better than Arzak.

I had high hopes and expectations for Arzak. On a recent trip to Spain which included San Sebastian I wondered if I was making a mistake booking a dinner at Arzak and one at Mugaritz on our 2 day stay. Based on reviews from various sources, one would be inclined to pick Arzak over Mugaritz. I decided to keep both.
Anyways, 6 of us arrived for our dinner, which was about a 10 minute ride from the center of town. We were seated promptly, given some bread and water. Then, we were left alone for about 35 minutes. It was totally bizarre. I know some places want you to relax and settle in, but a bit much for me. We all opted for the tasting menu which was about 9 courses, included 2 desserts and a few assorted apps.
The appetizers (essentially one bite pieces) were good, but not amazing. As the dinner progressed, we noticed the service wasn’t as polished (dishes removed, napkins folded etc) as you’d expect from such a highly rated place. I know that I shouldn’t expect servers to speak perfect English, but when an intricate and innovative menu is presented, I need an explanation. So, there were 2 courses where this became very apparent. A dish featuring a local egg, cheese and milk… which had little differentiation in textures or flavor, and a white tuna that was fishier than supermarket sushi. 2 of my friends were so off put that they asked for the alternative monkfish. The chef had come by later that evening and asked how everything as going. I actually summoned the courage to express my dissatisfaction with the milk/​egg/​cheese course. She was so gracious and appreciative that I decided to open my big mouth. She went on to explain the importance of using local ingredients, and presenting food the way locals ate. In regards to the fish, it was supposed to taste fishy, and was one of the prized local fishes the locals ate. Ok fine. great and reasonable explanations. But, I would have appreciated these explanations prior to the meal.
As we progressed, the pigeon/​lamb/​beef dishes tasted were great as was the dessert.
So, am I glad I went? I’m still not sure, but I’m a curious guy and since I was there I would have regretted not trying a place with a Michelin star and a top 10 from the San Pelligrino list. Is it as good as Mugaritz? Not for me… I think if you picked the best Pintxos from in town, you’d probably be happier. If you’ve been to 11 Madison Park in NYC. Mugaritz gives it a run, and if you have extra time, check our Arzak (because what the hell do I know anyways)

Amazing that a restaurant considered innovative for so long can continue to maintain such perfection and consistency. We arrived to the restaurant just prior to our reservation and it turned out there was some confusion regarding which day we were to dine there. The staff was very respectful looking to accommodate, and the father Arzak intervened to make sure we could get a table that evening. Our waiter walked us through the menu and recommended changes, combinations, and off menu items to maximize our dining experience, pleading with us throughout the progression of dishes to let them know if there was anything that was not amazing. Each dish was impressive and the 3.5 hour meal took us beyond midnight. This dining experience alone would have made the fabulous trip to San Sebastián worthwhile.
The attire is on the dressier side of casual and of course reservations well in advance are crucial. The restaurant is closed in August, but they will typically take reservations during that period for fall dining.

We got to the restaurant a bit early — which was actually quite good as the parking lot is really small. It did seem a bit strange that there weren’t any cars there just yet… and the restaurant looked closed. It was my fault as I had it in my diary as 7:45 UK time — which didn’t register in my mind as 8:45 Spanish time! Anyhow, we got a quick drink down the road and came in time.
You wait a bit in the bar/​reception area until you’re called to the table. The place looks small at first but very deceiving as you go across the stairs and up to the 1^st floor dining space. Nice and cozy. We started out with the house cava… didn’t really like it. Almost spoiled our taste buds for any other wine to come so we stuck with the water.
We had a look at the menu and decided to get the tasting menu — you only live once. When will we get a chance to come back here again? It was really nice that they were able to substitute some of the options to allow us to share and try some of the other dishes. Every dish was so full of flavour and really enjoyable. When I compare Arzak and Mugaritz, I think the food here tasted a lot better but the dining experience was just okay. Some of the dishes came out and wasn’t sure what it was… but of course we ate it anyway.
We were absolutely stuffed at the end of the meal. Some of us had the chocolate but they were kind enough to pack some of it to go. It was also nice to meet Chef Arzak as well and he’s quite happy to take a picture with you in the bar after your meal. When you ask for your bill, they ask if you need a taxi back into town so don’t worry it is a bit outside the city centre.
Overall, really enjoyed my experience at Arzak and would highly recommend it as a culinary treat!

Solo he estado una vez y fue suficiente. La verdad es que esperaba mucho más de un restaurante con cocinero famoso y tres estrellas Michelin. El somelier estuvo seco y ante una equivocación de añada discutió y no supo disculparse. La comida sin más, estaba buena. Nada relevante para un restaurante de la categoría que se le supone. He estado en otros restaurantes con menos estrellas Michelin que me han gustado más. Puede que no haya estado en su mejor día porque me niego a creer que tantos entendidos de la gastronomía le dediquen páginas de alabanza. Pero yo abandoné el restaurante con una sensación de indiferencia y decepción.

Un repas parfait. Nous avons apprécié les créations culinaires tout au long du repas. Le menu dégustation vaut être pris. Le sommelier un peu difficile à aborder, du coup nous choisissons le vin nous mêmes… Sinon, tout parfait, délicieux, en couleur, avec des produits locaux. C’était un vrai voyage Les saveurs restent en bouche… Nous avons la chance de rencontrer M. Et Mme Arzak, très sympathiques et amicales… Toutefois quatre étoiles de ma part, dans un resto de trois étoiles Michelin, le service doit être plus précis dans la description des plats, le sommelier discret mais présent… Mais ce sont les détails, sinon un festin culinaire inoubliable!

San Sebastian — auf baskisch auch Donostia genannt ist ein Juwel der Kochkunst. Mit etwa 190 000 Einwohnern weisst es mit 16 Michelin-​Sternen die höchste Sternedichte weltweit aus.
Als weiteren Superlativ kann die schöné Provinzhauptstadt sagenhafte DREI DREIsternerestaurants aufweisen.
Grund genug — man hat die Qual der Wahl — einen dieser Tempel des Genusses aufzusuchen.
Die Wahl fiel auf Arzak, der sich schon kontinuierlich seit über 20 Jahren in dieser weltweiten Topliga behauptet und gerade dieses Jahr wieder Platz 8 der weltweit besten Restaurants eingenommen hat.
Klar, das diese aussergewöhnichen Geschmackserlebnisse nicht zum Schnäppchenpreis zu haben sind — aber sie sind jeden Cent wert.
Letztendlich fiel die Wahl auch auf Arzak, da man hier eine entspannte Atmosphäre pflegt und nicht einer Popkultur huldigt, in der man nicht ohne schwarzen Anzug und brillibehängten Begleiterinnen von pinguinartigen Obern bedient wird und fröhliches Lachen auf empörte Blicke der Tischnachbarn stösst.
Im durchaus gut durchgestylten Restaurant herrscht also lockere Stimmung, das Servicepersonal ist professionell und down to earth.
Ich habe bis hierhin deshalb so weit ausgeholt, da ich keine Lust habe, die einzelnen Gänge des insgesamt etwa 10 oder 12-​gängigen Menues zu beschreiben, sondern einfach mal eine Anregung geben möchte, sich unverkrampft einem sinnlichen Vergnügen hinzugeben, das seinesgleichen sucht und eine unvergessliche Erfahrung für diejenigen ist, die gerne gut essen und sich nicht von vermeintlich elitären Gepflogenheiten abschrecken lassen.
Ein paar Bildchen zur Illustration werde ich Euch dennoch nicht vorenthalten ;-).
Die Menuefolge ist darauf abgestimmt, dass man so 3 bis 4 Stündchen beschäftigt ist, zu geniessen, zu beobachten, zu riechen, zu schmecken, zu verarbeiten, was da so alles auf und in die Teller und Schälchen und sonstigen kreativen Behältnisse kommt.
Ich will dabei nicht verschweigen, dass beispielsweise ein Gang daneben ging, der von mir zweimal beanstandet wurde und beim dritten mal erst auf dem Niveau war auf dem er sein sollte. Herr Arzak persönlich kümmerte sich darum, dass dies schliesslich gelang.
Kein Beinbruch, der das Gesamtergebnis auch nicht geschmälert hat.
Um auch nochmal klar zu machen, welcher Aufwand hinter einer solchen Spitzenküche steht: in der Küche stehen 20 gelernte Köche, 20 Hilfskräfte, im Service sind weitere 20 Personen.
Der klimatisierte Weinkeller umfasst 80 000 Positionen — wir konnten einen Blick hinein werfen — und ohne nachgezählt zu haben — er ist von gewaltiger Grösse.
Ebenso die Küche (n). Blitzblanke, fast klinische Verhältnisse herrschten schon etwa eine halbe Stunde nach dem letzten Bissen.
Respekt vor einer solchen Leistung — und Empfehlung.

In planning our honeymoon/​food extravaganza across Spain, my husband and I knew that San Sebastian had to be a part of the trip. We had a much harder time deciding which of the three Michelin star restaurants to go to. So many options, so little time. Honestly, we chose Arzak because it was the one located closest to our hotel. We knew we’d be more than satisfied with any of the restaurants in the area, so it seemed as good a way as any to choose.
And we were definitely satisfied, so much more than satisfied!
Our reservation was for lunch on the day we arrived in San Sebastian. In fact, it was our very first stop in the city. (To the Arzak employee who was kind enough to park our car for us in the tiniest parking lot I have ever seen and get it out for us after our meal, we are forever in your debt.)
We were seated on the top floor right by the staircase which was kind of the best seat in the house. We got to check out all the plates as they came up the stairs! Things were a bit slow to start for us. I think there was a bit of confusion as to who our server was, because they took our wine and food order awhile after everyone else on the floor (who were seated at a similar time to us). All good, though, we weren’t in a hurry. We did the tasting menu, of course, and the sommelier helped us pick a rather tasty Albarino to drink. (The wine list is absolutely overwhelming here!)
The food was, as you’d expect, amazing. Not just in taste, but in presentation. I won’t go through every course, but here are some highlights:
–The lobster. Perfectly cooked, and the leaves they served with it were unexpectedly delicious
–Poached egg in batter! The egg melted in my mouth, and nothing else on the plate was what it seemed to be. A most excellent adventure.
–Albacore tuna with garlic petals. Not only perfectly cooked, but served over a tablet playing a video of the ocean because OF COURSE.
–Pigeon with citrus salad. I’d never had pigeon before. It was heavenly.
–The chocolate marbles!
Service was excellent except right at the beginning and at the end (they didn’t give us our check until after everyone else left. Again, we weren’t in a hurry, no big deal). Loved the pacing of the courses. We didn’t feel rushed and we didn’t feel like we were waiting too long. As I’m sure you’ve heard, this place is really, really expensive. By far the most expensive meal I’ve eaten (and the whole thing was twice as Tickets, for example), but if you’re eating here you’re not going to complain too much about the price.
Besides, Juan Mari Arzak was excited we came all the way from Utah patted my husband on the back. It makes up for EVERYTHING.

Ich esse sonst nicht in gehobenen Restaurants und es war meine erstes Sterne-​Lokal. Ein geschmacklich-​emotionales Erlebnis! Etwas ganz besonderes einmal zu erfahren wie gut und kreativ Kochen sein kann. Alles sehr professionell aber in netter Atmosphäre. Man kann auch in T-​Shirt kommen, wie am Nachbartisch, und es ist vollkommen O.K. (zumindest zum Mittagessen). Menü 189EUR

A good mix of tradition with some fun science, technology, and absolutely amazing food make the 3 star Michelin ranking and #8 restaurant world rank totally justified. Arzak service was so friendly and efficient and on top of that Elena and Juan Mari personally went to each table to talk to the guests. Elena and Juan Mari were so kind and humble and it was a real pleasure to dine here.
Everything was flawless! Seamless service, beautifully presented and tasty dishes, and of course great memories made! The menu descriptions were playful and as a result required descriptions which the waiters had no problem providing.
A nice option was to do half portions so you could try more dishes even if you did not want to do a full tasting menu. If anything. coming to San Sebastian for Arzak alone would have been worth the trip.
Kabrarroka pudding with kataifi
Red Codfish
Chorizo with tonic
Beans, bacon and chestnut
Sunflower seeds with arraitxiki
Hemp, mustard, and lobster
Sauteed lobster served with crispy hemp bread and mustard vinaigrette
Ovo-​lacto
Egg with semi-​crunchy shell and baobab accompanied by «lactic leaves» and curds
Fish steak with potatoes
Fillet of seabass lightly marinated with gin and served with several flavors of potatoes
The Kobe’s beef
Black apple
Sauteed apple finalized with the aspect of a truffle and apricot
Playing marbles with chocolate
Marbles of chocolate served with amaranth and oregano sauce

Das Restaurant Arzak ist ein 3 Michelin-​Sterne Restaurant, auf der Liste des besten Restaurants der Welt auf Platz 8 und die Tochter des Hauses, Elena Arzak, ist zur besten Köchin der Welt gewählt worden. Mit diesen Superlativen ausgestattet versteht es sich wohl von selbst, dass ich über das tolle Essen hier gar nicht weiter schreiben möchte — es ist ein Tempel für Gourmets!
Hervorzuheben ist die charmante und unprätentiöse Atmosphäre des Hauses. Anders als in den meisten anderen Restaurants dieser Kategorie, geht es bei Arzak überhaupt nicht steif, sondern locker, freundlich und vor allem herzlich zu. Hier fühlt man sich sehr wohl und wird liebevoll vom Personal, dem Sommelier und der Familie Arzak betreut.

After dining at Arzak this past Wednesday night, memories and emotions swished around in my head, debating between 3 stars and 5 stars and I finally landed on 4. Here is my story.
My new husband and I recently went to Spain for our honeymoon. When we read about the Basque foodie capital of San Sebastian, we immediately decided to make a detour there to sample the elevated pintxos, and of course to have our fancy honeymoon dinner at Arzak, one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world. By train, San Sebastian is 5 hours from Madrid, and 6 hours from Barcelona, and there are only two trains a day to each city, both departing at either 8am or 1pm. We chose the 8am’s to make the most of our time there, and it was not easy to get our hungover jet-​lagged asses out of bed. It was a serious schlep, but it was worth it.
After our first 24 hours in San Sebastian, sampling various pintxos from the casual, cozy bars, it became clear that San Sebastian IS in fact a very legitimate foodie capital, and you really can’t go wrong here. So clearly we had very high expectations for Arzak. We were led into the comfortable, yet current dining room, and didn’t even need to look at the menu. We came all this way; we were definitely getting the tasting menu, and asked the sommelier to do wine pairings with each course. The service started as attentive, polite, and properly spaced.
The first wow-​moment was the amuse bouche. Or shall I say all of them. There were FIVE, and ALL of them had little nods to the local Basque and Spanish cuisine. In the bars of Madrid, we were served a little bowl of potato chips whenever we bought a drink. There was a potato chip amuse with fog poured over it, which was a really cool effect, although the fog DID make the chips a bit soggy. There was a salty smack of local cabra cheese. All pintxos are served on toothpicks; we had an anchovy with creamy cheese and a strawberry all on a toothpick. And while we saw anchovies everywhere, this particular anchovy was cooked amazingly, and the flavor combination was brilliant. Who thinks to pair an anchovy with a strawberry? These amuses were absolutely inspiring.
The next course arrived, and it too was spectacular. It was a thatched cone-​like structure that we had to lift and flip over. We were then told to mix the contents around inside: rich sautéed onions and foie gras, which when fused together, created yet another brilliant flavor combination. After that playful course, we started getting serious with lobster and a mustard butter sauce. The lobster was everything it should be: juices exploding, perfectly textured and fresh, and the mustard butter was a genius twist on the typical «lobster with drawn butter». I was so beyond thrilled at that point, but unfortunately it was the peak of our meal.
The following courses, while strong, were not as interesting as the beginning. However, I would not have even noticed had it not been for the shocking decline in service at the latter half of the meal. The first little hiccup was when Chef Arzak, who famously greets EVERY table in his restaurant, skipped over ours. We were in the middle of a course, so I said «ok, he didn’t want to interrupt while we were eating.» A little while later, the captain came and asked if we wanted to meet him. We said yes! but he did not come over again. I said, «ok, maybe this is lost in translation moment and he misunderstood my Spanish.» After that, the courses became spaced out and service was flat out gone. We could not get anyone’s attention. The captain disappeared for 30 minutes. The sommelier disappeared for an hour. We never saw our waitress again.
We finally received our desserts, and chocolate «nuts and bolts», but no dessert wine pairing. Incredible! It was not a set price for the wine pairing, but instead by the glass, so I am confused why they would neglect to include this if it meant they would make more money? The chocolates were delicious, rich, and the jellies even had tiny pop rocks that danced in my mouth. Did I care at that point? No. I was so turned off by the sharp decline in service that it wouldn’t matter if we were served edible fireworks on the way out the door.
When we completed our meal, a waitress finally came by. I said AGAIN that I would like to meet Chef Arzak, and then the check, and then a taxi. None of this was accomplished. She disappeared. We finally asked again for the bill, and went to leave. My husband, seeing how I was upset, asked yet again to meet the Chef, and we did, and he graciously took a picture with us.
I understand the Euro-​service disparity that exists completely. Europeans don’t like to be «rushed out» after dinner, and quite different than the US. Fine. However, there is a huge difference between feeling forgotten, and general Euro-​service. When comparing this to other restaurants of similar caliber and price point (Per Se, Eleven Madison), the food here was the best and most creative, but the service unacceptable.

Poder comer allí es una oportunidad única! Maravilloso, increíble, interminable y todo excepcionalmente tan rico De lujo

Quel plaisir et aventure gastronomique que de gouter dans ce restaurant à la fois une cuisine traditionnelle … et créative…
Il faut bien sur prévoir un beau budget à plusieurs pour arroser …
En parlant de boisson, tous les vins sont à la hauteur .tant en prix qu’en provenance…
Vous né pouvez etre décu.

Que dire à part que c’est exquis !!! Allez, je vais en dire davantage !
Je me lance, en ayant vécu quelques temps à San Sebastian, j’ai essayé quelques restaurants et Chez Arzak est mon préféré. C’est la fille de Juan Mari Arzak, Elena, qui nous a accueilli ce soir là, et comme la chance était avec nous, nous avons pu visiter la cuisine et saluer la brigade de Juan Mari.
Chez Arzak, il né faut pas avoir peur d’essayer de nouveau plats parce qu’il nous permet de découvrir des nombreuses saveurs parfois inconnues !!! En effet, ce n’est pas une simple sortie au restaurant, mais belle et bien une véritable aventure gastronomique ! Son concept est novateur, peut être unique au monde car sa cuisine est en quête de nouvelles textures, couleurs, senteurs On peut le comparer à un chimiste qui cherche de nouveaux composants ! C’est vraiment une cuisine d’investigation !!!
Avec nos amis, nous avons aimé le décor assez minimaliste et à la fois design du restaurant mais surtout l’impression de se sentir ailleurs, presque sur une autre planète peut être la planète des senteurs ! A noter qu’il s’agit d’un lieu qui a une histoire, un héritage Quel plaisir nous avons eu !
Le sommelier a su nous trouver un vin blanc très bon qui se mariait parfaitement avec du poisson (merlu pour ma part). Malheureusement, j’en ai oublié le nom.
Toutefois, je n’irai pas tous les jours à moins d’avoir le budget qui me le permette !
Excellente expérience. Je recommande cette adresse au fin gourmant qui ont envie de goûter une cuisine innovante et raffinée.

Quelle explosion de saveurs, quelle imagination, … Une véritable cuisine basque revisitée, avant gardiste mélangeant tradition et créativité. Ce soir là, c’était Helena qui nous recevait et nous n’avons pas été déçu du voyage!
Des vins exceptionnels a des prix bien raisonnables.
Seul bémol, peut être, le service qui n’a pas tjs été a la hauteur, ce qui nous a fait bien rire (ils avaient, entre autres, oublié de nous apporter les couverts!).

The best 3-​stared Michelin restaurant I have been so far. How can be compare such a chef-​artist with some others, supposedly 3-​star as well.
Anyway is was just amazing prices were the lowest even from a 1-​star I really don’t know what to say about this Spanish art. I am trying to go back there again JUST to visit Arzak!
San Sebastian is an amazing place specially during hot days, a very interesting place to visit.

Restaurante de referencia, de fama internacional, dirigido por el afamado cocinero Arzak. Es posible degustar la nueva cocina experimental a un precio asequible. Muy recomendable el menú degustación, bastante barato y variado. Ideal para celebraciones en pareja o con amigos.

La verdad que no me hizo ninguna gracia cuando estuve, me sacié poco y encima fue muy caro Mucha cocina experimental y mucho diseño pero al final termine por comer un bocata en un bar de la parte vieja. Para el nombre que tiene, esperaba mucho más.

Que voy a hablar del Arzak que no se sepa! Que se come increíblemente bien, pero es uno de los restaurantes de Donosti donde más pagas y menos comes. Ese es un punto tambien a tener en cuenta a la hora de elegirlo.

Nada nuevo que decir de este pedazo restaurante. Para mi el mejor de la ciudad.
Evidentemente, el único problema es el precio, pero la calidad se paga!

uno de los cocineros mas conocidos en el pais. la comida que sirven en este local es deliciosa y no se lñe puede poner un
perfecta.pero tiene un pero su precio para mi es escesivo, pero bueno todo lo bueno es caro
si se puede decir una cosa es que este restaurante roza la perfeccion en todo menos su precio

Su comida es deliciosa. Es un cocinero muy conocido. lo que falla es el precio.

que decir de este genio de la cocina, si puedes y debes darte un capricho, no lo dudes vete al arzak, increible conbinacion de sabores los postres son exquisitos y los vinos buenisimos