Elkano

Amazing dinner at Elkano. The restaurant is a short drive from San Sebastian along the coast. There's a parking lot just past the restaurant down by the sea. The wine list is long - the sommelier unfortunately wasn't there (on a Saturday night?), so we ended up having to choose without guidance which was unfortunate. The service was very lovely, although they did seem to be understaffed which led to issues later on in the meal...will get to those. For the food, we opted for the tasting menu with a supplement from the a la carte. Perfect amount of food, maybe a touch more than we needed and we didn't stay for dessert. The preparations are so simple, you get to experience the purity of the fresh caught ingredients. I loved learning about everything we were eating as we progressed. The turbot really is special, but other standouts were tuna dishes, lobster, grilled squid, red mullet - ok basically all of it. We were looking forward to dessert as we'd heard so much about it, but service really slowed up during the savory courses (understandably, as they spent so much time preparing the turbot at the table). We were seated in the back of the restaurant in the upstairs area, and it was very very warm to the point where myself and other diners were fanning ourselves with the menus. We ran out of water which didn't help. After an extended period of time without water, we just asked for the desserts to go (which they couldn't accommodate as they both had ice cream), but they didn't charge us for everything on the bill so we were ok with it. Even with this unfortunate ending to our meal, we left very full and happy, and look forward to returning (and requesting to sit somewhere where they have air circulation).

Our last lunch in basque country was Elkano. Touted as a the world best 16 restaurant, I was pretty excited. Especially for the famed turbot. We had dined 4 days earlier at Asador Extebarri which blew us away so we were ready for round 2. We ended up ordering a la carte which was fine. Everything was solid but I was mostly anticipating the turbot. The turbot was very underwhelming. Nothing new in the sense of taste, flavor or freshness. It was on the slightly more undercooked side which is fine which added more toughness to the meat but really nothing special. If you are in the area, try elkano but if you are traveling specifically for this meal, I would highly reconsider. It is NOT a top 16 restaurant (we've been to 75% of the best of the best list and maybe 20/50 top 50). It belongs in the category of septime., which is not on the list.

We came here for the grilled turbot. It is good. Husband prefer the part of meat with white skin rather than black, I can not tell the difference. The hake fish double chins, Kokotxos are good. I like it is green sauce husband prefer light batter. Grilled shrimps are ok. (Written by husband)

This one-star Michelin rated restaurant is located in the charming coastal town of Getaria, just a short drive from San Sebastián. This restaurant is all about seafood and a great wine list. We came here for lunch since we wanted to walk around and explore the town during the day as well. The atmosphere is elegant yet relaxed, not at all pretentious or stuffy but with very attentive and friendly service. We started with a half portion of the bogavante (lobster) and white gambas (shrimp) as appetizers. Prior to our appetizers we were welcomed with a fresh tuna tartar amouse bouche. The appetizers we ordered were both delicious. The lobster was a cold dish great to open up our appetites and perfectly paired with the bottle of champagne we ordered to accompany our meal. The sommelier was not in house for the lunch service but our server did a fantastic job in helping us select a wine. The gambas were so perfectly salted, seasoned and grilled, we left no piece on the plate, enjoyed it from head to the shells and whiskers. Following the appetizers was the highlight of the meal, the grilled turbot. The fish is large and perfect to share between two people. They bring it to the table whole first so you can see it, but then debone it for you and plate it very nicely for your enjoyment. They then place the remaining parts of the fish (head, bones, etc) on a plate and bring it to the table. Any fish lover out there knows the best part is on the head, leave nothing behind! We didn't order any sides with our fish but we noticed other tables ordered salads or sliced cooked potatoes to go along with it. Prior to ordering dessert we decided to try one more appetizer since we still had some room for savory food. We ordered the txangurro (crab) which is crab meat served on the half shell. It was warm and very tasty. Lastly we ordered two desserts because why not?! We had the chocolate soufflé and the torrija (caramelized French toast), both heavenly, perfect portion size, and not overtly sweet. We ended our meal with a nice espresso which was accompanied by chocolate truffles and pieces of almond cake. Overall this was an excellent meal and totally worth the money and short drive from the city.

Had the pleasure of dining at Elkano for lunch last week and had been anticipating the meal for quite some time as I was really interested in eating the acclaimed grilled turbot fish. It's a one michelin starred restaurant but, feels much less pretentious upon entry. Like typical Americans, we had a 1pm lunch reservation and were the first ones to arrive (kinda embarrassing ;). Anyway, I was stoked to be sitting down and we kept the ordering pretty healthy. The whole turbot fish is weighed by the kg so we opted for that, alongside a medley of vegtables (see photos). The veg courses were good but, nothing spectacular, just good clean vegetables. As for the piece de resistance (turbot), it was oily, amazing and one of the best pieces of white fish I've had! Moral of the story, worth the trek if you love fish! Oh also, the tableside bread was really good :)

Michelin star catastrophe. I have no idea how this restaurant got a Michelin star but since eating here I will never trust the Michelin rating again. The restaurant is decorated not unlike a common Red Lobster (in the United States) with fake helms and model ships hanging from the florescent lights. The cheesy atmosphere is only the first offense of Elkano, each one worse than the last. Let's start with the wine. The first bottle the brought us at 55 euros was undrinkable. The second bottle was adequate. We ordered the crab appetizer, and Sole fish. They do not list salads or sides on their menu and basically ask you to create your meal. The crab appetizer was gross not only in taste but also presentation. The Sole, which is touted to be the best of your life was an overcooked, flavorless disaster. The best part of the meal was the olive oil with the free bread and the salad that wasn't even on the menu. Luckily we complained and they were kind enough to comp the bill.

We had an overall good but kind of underwhelming meal here. The wine selection/service was clearly the best part of the restaurant, so five stars for the sommelier. We tried a bunch of different seafood appetizers and had the famous turbot for our main course. Definitely too much food for two people, but everything was good. Dessert was really unimpressive for me, so I would recommend skipping it. Service was good until the server overcharged us by about 100 euros and wasn't terribly apologetic about it when we pointed out her error. For that alone, I probably wouldn't go back.

Too little time to explore this beautiful town but to be honest, I came here for their famous grilled turbot. It's about an hour bus ride from San Sebastián. Totally worth the trek out for the fish. It was absolutely amazeballs! Rated 1*, Elkano is elegant with great food and gave terrific service. The chef and sous at the grill outside the restaurant are lovely people. The man who took orders gave us good suggestions on how to order (1/2 order of the stuffed crab and the fish soup shots instead of bowls). This way we could try more varieties. If you love fish like me, try take a day out of SS to Getaria for some serious good eat.

An authentic Basque seafood grill experience with the freshest fish possible. Aitor & the team are wonderful.

Ufff great place, 30 minutes drive from San Sebastian... worth it. Amazing views, of the sea and cliffs. The place is dressy, so dont get there on your bathing suit and sandals. Friendly service. A very traditional grill place. Amazing food. Basically grilled sea food. Had some lobster salpicon, grilled peppers, rodaballo, amazing arroz con leche and all the deserts are great.

Items Selected: Txomin Etxaniz 2014 House Bread and Oil Poached Octopus, Grapefruit Barnacles Steamed Barnacles Grilled Kokotxas - tongue and pendulum of Hake, grilled Grandma's Fish Soup - 100 year recipe Grilled Turbot - 1kg Rice Pudding Torrijas with Milk Foam, yolk, vanilla bourbon ice cream Honey Cake, Chocolate Cereal and Nuts Located in the small seaside town of Getaria, just under a half-hour from San Sebastian by car, Michelin Starred Elkano looks not unlike many other restaurants throughout the Basque region but gaining substantial acclaim thanks to Grilled fish including the world renowned Turbot there is little doubt that there is something special setting this place apart. Owned and operated by the same family for generations, the Maitre D' citing a 100+ year old recipe as the source of a fish soup that tastes of brine and roasted bones with a richness rarely seen in a broth lacking cream, those fortunate enough to secure a seat are treated to a menu of classics based only on the quality of source and the lightest of seasoning and manipulation, most of the fish and meats only offered steamed or roasted over hot outdoor coals. Sourcing everything as locally as possible, the olive oil pressed specifically for the restaurant while bread is brought in from a bakery just down the street it was at my hosts recommendation that wine from a 35 hectare local vineyard was selected, its dryness surprisingly fruit forward and a beautiful pairing to almost any form of seafood. Old fashioned in décor, the stone floors and netted drapes adding age to a room where lighting at night is romantic bordering on dim, it was only after discussing portion sizes at length that a makeshift 'tasting' was created by the kitchen, an opening volley of octopus muscular yet tender alongside bitter citrus while barnacles in two preparations were offered in followup, the steamed versions plump and juicy while larger mussels were grilled with a rich smokiness amidst textures that trended more meaty, though not at all 'tough.' Insisting that no meal at Elkano would be complete without at least tasting the Kokotxas it was to a single grilled gullet that I was next treated and although more elaborately prepared versions had already been tasted at Michelin 3* establishments it would be hard to say any were more flavorful than this 'simple' version, the followup fish soup every bit as good as previously stated. Offering a brief tour of the kitchen, holding tanks of live fish, and spacious cellar as the 1.04kg Turbot was finished on the grill it was with an elaborate tableside presentation that the faintly charred fish was deboned ad plated, "light" separated from "dark" with encouragement to dissect the head and suck the bones clean, the flavors and textures truly dynamic with some tastes gelatinous and fishy while others arrived smoky, moist, and lean. No doubt a bit full as the clock ticked past 21h30 and still over an hour from the hotel there was admittedly brief contemplation of forgoing dessert before the options were presented, one glance casting aside such nonsense and instead seeing an order of not just warm rice pudding, but toasted brioche rich with egg yolk beneath elegant milk foam and boozy housemade ice cream as well.

We had the grilled turbot, probably the best fish I've ever eaten. Aitor served it at our table, painstakingly separating it into different cuts and dressing each in the perfect amount of natural oils, juices and gelatins from the fish itself. I can't recall exactly how many distinct dishes came from one fish, but I still think about it, and can't wait to go back one day.

We were recommended this place by a friend and it popped up on most reviews. Classic type restaurant, it's not as modern on the inside as the photos suggest. Really good and classy service which I feel has to be highlighted here. Menu is primarily fish and seafood. Appetizer on the house was a very good tuna tartare. As a starter we had the 3-way sampler of hake neck, followed by sea bream. All dishes were very well-prepared. Portions were right. These with a glass of txakoli and coffees came up to 120€ for two. VAT is not reflected in the menu prices. We enjoyed the food albeit it's not the best fish place we've eaten at, and at this price. But I think if you're in Getaria and willing to pay a little more to be well-served in a Michelin restaurant, this is a good spot.

I'm really not sure what is driving the hype. We were off-the-charts excited to go, and ordered all of the reported specialties, but were sadly disappointed. Yes, the seafood was uber-fresh, but unremarkable and overshadowed by its prep. The legendary kokoxtas, or hake jowls, were smothered in a rich butter sauce despite being naturally fatty. The txangurro, or baked crab, was lost in the sauce in which it was baked. The grilled turbot was cooked with more oil than needed and disastrously filleted. The food highlights, ironically, were a classic green salad that was incredibly fresh (but again, drowning in olive oil) and cheese ice cream (off the charts, no complaints). The wine list is diverse and just long enough, but none of the staff who helped us seemed to know about anything on it. And when I ordered a white wine that I know and love, we were brought a bottle of red. Which leads to our biggest frustration: the service, which for the most part was apathetic and borderline unfriendly. The topper was at the end of the meal, when we waited at least 15 minutes for la cuenta and when it came, the server dropped it off without a word and literally turned her back on us as it hit the table. And I promise, we were polite, quiet, low-maintenance diners who ordered more than water and ketchup. The exception was an older woman -- perhaps an owner -- who came over to check on us a couple of times and enthusiastically tried to explain how to eat the remnants of fish from the fins of the turbot. She spoke no English at all, and we did our best to communicate with our modest Spanish. Perhaps we just went on an off night. Must be, since Michelin and hundreds of online reviews can't all be wrong. But if you look at some of the one to three-star reviews floating around, it seems that others share our POV. My advice: save time and money and savor the delicious pintxos to be had in countless neighborhood joints around the region.

Without any question one of the elite seafood restaurants in the world. But not in an kind of stuffy or pretentious way. It's a nice place, but perfectly accessible and unfussy. The seafood is simply perfect. All of it fresh. Get something that is grilled - on the open fire grill right outside on the sidewalk! Lovely little town with beautiful scenery, as long as you are there.

This was my first experience dining in a Michelin-star restaurant. Now I can understand what's all the buzz about how incredible and prestigious restaurants awarded with a Michelin star are. Since the moment we walked in Elkano, I felt that the service was very personalized and detailed oriented. I am a big fan of seafood, and that's what this place specializes in. The ambiance is very subtle and traditional, but very warm at the same time. Every single bite I had was incredible, the way every single dish is prepared goes beyond perfection. I believe this is maybe the freshest seafood I have ever had. However, it was not only the freshness, you can find fresh seafood in several places. It was the delicacy in which each item is prepared and presented. The maître d' was extremely friendly and down to earth. He made us feel like at home since the minute we arrived. He is so knowledgeable and honest that I would highly recommend letting him design a tasting menu for you. There is a menu and it is amazing, however, having the tasting menu will transport you to a culinary experience like no other. The maître d' asked us what do we like and described everything with a passion and detail that it was fairly simple to trust him with our dining experience. Once we were sold with our fasting menu, we had several dishes coming our way, I believe I counted nine. The experience went from a nicely prepared basque ceviche to an amazing open flame grilled whole rockfish, and everything in between. Every single dish had a specific purpose, but my favorites were the ceviche, the lobster, the hake kokotxas, and the rockfish. I was told the kokotxas are a delicacy and very rare to find out of the basque country. The kokotxas are basically the double chin of the hake. I wasn't much sold on it until I tried them. They were cooked in four different ways, all of them were outstanding. The flesh almost melts in your mouth, it is indeed a delicacy. After Elkano, I became a fan of the kokotxas. We then received a sea bass petit filet, which was lightly grilled and full of flavor. Our culinary journey ended with the grilled rockfish followed by a fish foie. I think it's fair to say that the highlight of the night was always the product. The chef always made sure to complement the product well enough to take it to the next level without overpowering anything. Honestly, this culinary feast is second to nothing. Every dish was beautifully presented and the timing between each course was just perfect. Elkano provides an outstanding culinary experience. Definitely worth the visit.

We were staying in an airbnb in Getaria and checked out the town on the web. Low and behold, Elkano, was rated one of the best 5 restaurants in the world. Another article said it was the best seafood restaurant in the Western Hemisphere! Had to go. And though we aren't restaurant critics, it was some of the freshest and best prepared seafood we've ever tasted. The cocoxon (hake neck) was amazing. In addition, the bread was excellent, the cheese ice cream dessert was exceptional, and we enjoyed the wait staff. A highly memorable meal at about 60€ per person.