Bistró — Restaurant in Bilbao

Our family was very, very disappointed in the experience. So much so, that almost no one ate their dishes and we decided to leave before dessert even though it was a prix fixe menu.

Immediately on entering, we had the sense that the staff was overworked and unhappy. The hostess and the server were both very cold, though responsive. I'm sure it must be exhausting dealing with tourists of many nationalities all day, but our quality expectations were set high by the venue, reputation, and cost.

My first dish was the tomato salad - the tomatoes were of a pale red color indicating they were not ripe or fresh and indeed, they were slightly mushy. I will note that our server took care to bring my wife a salad because she could not eat the gazpacho.

Our main courses were pork tenderloin and veal cheek. The veal cheek tasted like overcooked brisket from a bad BBQ cafeteria. One son refused to eat his and the second ate half. My wife and I had pork tenderloin - my wife's was so overcooked she took one bite, then had no more. Mine was cooked properly, but was incredibly bland - virtually no flavor at all beyond the pork itself (and not well salted). At this point, we chose to leave - the restaurant gave us our drinks for free as compensation.

On further reflection, we e-mailed the restaurant to complain and we were told that a partial refund was...

I had the pleasure of dining at The Bistro and was truly impressed with my experience. From the moment we walked in, the team was extremely friendly and accommodating, making us feel right at home. The atmosphere was lovely and had a cozy and intimate feel to it (we were in a booth).

The food really stood out - it was fantastic! Each dish was expertly prepared and the presentation was impressive. If you like meat, definitely go for a meat dish. Although, I’m sure the fish and vegetarian options are also delicious.

The restaurant offers three menus that cater to all preferences, so there's something for everyone. And the wine selection was just as impressive, with wonderful Rioja wines from Alavesa that paired perfectly with our meal.

Overall, I would highly recommend The Bistro to anyone looking for a delicious meal in a welcoming environment, and all at a reasonable price point.

We reserved a few days in advance to secure a table. It may not be...

Guggenheim Bistro is on the 2nd floor of the museum; you’ll be able to enjoy fine basque dishes for lunch. Guests select each one from starters, main and dessert. Baguette and water are included. I ordered fish soup for starters, cod balls for main, and baked apple for dessert, adding a glass of homemade orange sweet liqueur (3€). The soup contained a lot of local seafood and was packed with flavour. Cod balls are served with fried cod skin and basque traditional sauce. Baked apple was a recommendation of a restaurant staff and rather nice with thyme ice cream. I highly suggest that you try a glass of orange liqueur with the dessert. I suppose 29.50€ is reasonable and satisfying to taste this lunch...