RESTAURANTE LASAI — Restaurant in Bilbao

Review of Lasai, Bilbao – Uneven Food and a Disappointing Birthday Dinner

I visited Lasai in Bilbao to celebrate my birthday and chose their Crystal Menu. Unfortunately, the experience was uneven and underwhelming, both in terms of food, service, and atmosphere.

The meal began with the salad cappuccino and tomato espuma, which was not a good start. The soup was unbalanced – the green component tasted like grass, and the tomato espuma was overly salty and intense, almost like concentrated tomato paste. For the red tuna tartar with crispy nori, the nori had an overpowering fishy taste that dominated the dish. The crispy sphere filled with Idiazabal cheese was heavy, with too much cream or butter, which masked the cheese’s flavor.

The following dish, roasted scallop with coconut garlic and sundried tomato tartar and dates, was ok. The dish was served cold, which felt strange and unappetizing. The scallop lacked tenderness, and the strong paste overwhelmed the dish. The flavors felt heavy and unbalanced.

The grilled begi handi stuffed with mushroom ragout and codfish trotters with cod foam was the weakest course. The squid had an unpleasant, rubbery texture, and there was far too much squid and not enough mushroom. The sauce didn’t help elevate the dish.

The roasted sea bass with caramelized spring onion, grapefruit, and fried capers had unappealing skin and poorly balanced flavors.

The main course – beef cooked for 72 hours – was tender, as described, but lacked depth and complexity in taste.

Dessert started with pear, marianito, and blood orange, which was overly spiced and overwhelming. Thankfully, the final dessert, Goxua, was genuinely good and ended the meal on a slightly better note.

A recurring issue was the bread – it was not particularly appealing and was replenished far too often, making it feel excessive and intrusive. The restaurant was also quite noisy, and some of the plates were scratched, which took away from the overall dining experience. Service was fine but unremarkable – not what you would hope for on a special occasion.

All in all, this was a disappointing dinner, especially for a birthday celebration. While some dishes had potential, too many missed the mark. The atmosphere and service failed to elevate the experience. Lasai did not live up to expectations, and I wouldn’t choose it again for a...

Lasai in Bilbao served up one of the best lunches we’ve ever had—no joke! We went for their “Crystal Menu,” and it was a nonstop parade of standout dishes. The “Drunken Blue Crab Trilogy” was the perfect start, followed by roasted scallops that came with an amazing coconut garlic sauce and a clever mix of dried tomato and date tartare. Every dish had something that made us go, “Wow!”

The grilled Begi-Handi with mushroom ragout and pig’s trotters in cod foam? That one seriously blew our minds—so unique and flavorful. The roasted hake, with its lacquered sweetness and creamy green sauce, was just as unforgettable. And don’t get us started on the boneless, crispy suckling pig. With the cherry jam and ginger vinaigrette, it hit all the right notes of sweet, savory, and tangy.

By dessert, we were all smiles. The spicy mango and chocolate iced cookie was the perfect mix of heat and sweet, and the Goxua—a traditional Basque treat—ended the meal on a high.

This was honestly one of the best bills we’ve had, and here’s the kicker: it was lunchtime! Now, we’re seriously curious about what their dinner service has in store. We definitely want to come back and try it out—we’re already...

Horribly rude service. Went in excited for the experience- happy to spend the money and time at this restaurant. Were asked when sat at our table if we wanted a Spanish or English menu. We have been working to make sure we have been speaking Spanish on this trip to show the effort and respect for the culture. Previously we have eaten at 6 other Michelin restaurants in the area within 24 hours - happy to spend any amount of time and money.

When FINALLY asked for our order 20 minutes after being sat. We were asked for our order - my British companion gave the order and was met with nothing but rudeness though asking for the order in Spanish. Told “ugh. I asked if you wanted this in English to begin with”.

I was then turned to for the order and said the exact same thing as my companion - as a Mexican American was treated with racism for my Spanish. I then politely told the server we would not be eating there and left. We were chased out by some man yelling at us that we were out of order. But honestly this was a massively stuck up and horrible experience. Not like anything else in Basque Country. Don’t waste your time or money. No vengas aquí si eres Mexicanas. El...