Restaurante Amaren — Restaurant in Bilbao

tldr at end

First of all: The meat is absolutely amazing. The quality, presentation and above all taste is absolutely stunning and definitely worth a visit. We had the Ox and it was by far the best cattle meat I have ever tasted. The restaurant is also beautifully decorated and has a nice atmosphere albeit the music was too loud for my opinion.

But that's about the good things there are to say about this place. Service was absolutely disappointing despite us speaking Spanish. We were shown a 1,5kg cut of our meat of choice and when we asked whether a smaller one was also available (on the menu it said starting from 1kg, we knew a "no" was a possibility. They told us no without alternative. We would have appreciated the information that with this cut it wasn't possible, but with another it was. Then we would've changed our choice. Give customers a choice. Same goes for the wine: We asked for a certain glass of red wine from the menu. Turns out they did not have that wine anymore. Did they tell us? No. Instead, they poured us a different glass of wine and only after pouring said it wasn't the one we ordered but they picked another one that went with the meat. This is a no go. At least let the patron try the wine before pouring a full glass of one they didn't order.

Lastly, we asked about the size of starters beforehand and were told they were small. After hearing the size of the meat we thought of canceling one side but decided against because they were small. They weren't. We ended up with way too much food which I don't like as it screams food waste. The taste of the starters (artichokes and fish) was ok but nothing over the top great. Also, they brought both our starters out one after the other without asking. At first, I waited for my friend to receive theirs but once it didn't come I started eating. When asked they said "the starters are meant to share". Then tell us beforehand! Again, we might have picked something else as each of us did not like the others' starter. Or we would've asked them to bring them out at the same time.

We were very disappointed in the service. It was also very difficult to get the waiters attention. Maybe because we didn't look like their typical patrons? We don't know. I would definitely return for the food but never for the service.

;tldr Meat and atmosphere amazing service disappointing - they need to communicate with the patron...

Complete disappointment. My wife and I went out for dinner on January 12th. The food was delicious, but the service was terrible. Here’s a list of things that were unclear or disappointing:

We arrived with a reservation and were shown to our table. Only after we sat down did someone come over to take our coats to hang them in the closet. Why not ask for the coats before seating us at the table?

Menus were brought to us, but no one explained the restaurant's concept or mentioned any unavailable items. We made our choices, and it turned out that out of four meat dishes (excluding the separate steak-on-the-bone menu), two were unavailable. One of the unavailable dishes was the one I had chosen, so I had to pick something else.

I ended up ordering meat and specified the doneness as medium well. The waiter entered the order into the system but didn’t repeat it back to confirm. What I received was clearly not medium well. I had doubts but wasn’t sure at the time. Based on photos later, ChatGPT determined it was medium rare.

Almost every time a waiter approached us, they spoke to us in Spanish. We had made it clear at the entrance and when seated that we didn’t understand Spanish. Why couldn’t this information be communicated among the staff?

When we ordered, the waiter asked if we wanted bread, and we said no. Later, another waiter brought us one roll each. We assumed it was a complimentary gesture from the restaurant. Of course, the rolls turned up on the bill. Then why ask about bread in the first place? We thought they were asking about a bread basket.

The meat was served on a plate with a chip. It is unacceptable to use damaged dishes!

Waiters were carrying dishes for multiple tables at once. For example, someone would bring one plate to our table while holding plates for other guests in their hands.

Conclusion: the food was great, but there was absolutely no service. I do not recommend this place. How did this restaurant manage to appear on so...

A Must-Visit for Authentic Basque Gastronomy in Bilbao

When in Bilbao, immersing yourself in the local culinary scene, especially the famed Basque meats, is an absolute must. Our recent visit to this restaurant was specifically to experience the region's renowned carnivorous delights, and we were not disappointed.

For our starter, we chose the bone marrow and foie gras terrine. While undeniably good and rich in flavor, its portion size was quite substantial, almost a main course in itself. Halving the portion would have made it a more appropriate and less heavy start to the meal, allowing us to fully appreciate the subsequent courses.

The main event was an extraordinary 1.8kg Angus ox t-bone, cooked to a perfect blue/medium-rare. This was, without a doubt, an extremely delicious, buttery, and incredibly tender piece of meat. The flavors were simply amazing, boasting wonderful hints of dry-aged funkiness, a testament to its impressive 110-day aging process. It was truly an amazing culinary experience and an unforgettable dish.

Both the exceptional food and the thoughtfully curated wine list represent excellent value for money, making every penny spent feel truly worthwhile.

The service was consistently very friendly and attentive. While generally pleasant, there were moments where the interactions felt a little rehearsed or as if following a pre-set "game plan." This occasionally detracted from a completely natural flow, sometimes feeling a touch forced. However, a special mention must go to our "meat maitresse," a wonderful woman with long, curly brown hair. She was exceptionally friendly and accommodating, proving to be a truly wonderful table hostess who significantly enhanced our dining experience.

I would enthusiastically recommend that everyone visiting Bilbao dedicate an evening to this establishment, and without hesitation, opt for the ox meats over the regular cow offerings for an unparalleled taste of...