Restaurante pulperia A'lareira Bilbao — Restaurant in Bilbao

Lovely and quite popular Galician restaurant situated in northwest part of Indautxu. We originally wanted a dinner reservation for 22:30, which is quite usual, however they wanted us to have the reservation for 22:00. Settled on 22:15. The kitchen closes at 23:00. The menu and wine choices were very good along with the service. We chose Croquetas, Zamborinas, pulpo a feira and Lacon. All the dishes were excellent but the portions were huge. Enough for 3 to 4 people. We were only 2. The waiter really should have advised us that it was too much. Eventually we ended up taking 2 tuppers home. Belatedly we were told that we could have had a half portion of Pulpo. Lesson learnt. The price of the food and wine was very good. Restaurant was quite full. Would advise making a reservation. One small observation was that the lighting was quite bright. Overall a great place and would...

We booked a table for about a dozen people, all family. food was absolutely mediocre for the assumed quality of the place. Wine was good, bread was excellent (for me, sorry, that was probably the best item on the table), but the octopus was markedly bland, the rodaballo... what a joke, we were served like a lamina, almost a two dimensional lamina of rodaballo... We are all Bilbao natives, so we know what we had and what we should have been served. We all left truly upset. Maybe we just got a bad day, maybe a supplier failed them, maybe... but I very much doubt we will ever set out foot on the place again. I wish the place the very best, but ...

What a culinary and cultural experience! Best octopus: simplicity and freshness made it perfect and so yummy! I met with the owner Lorenzo the night before at the Erribera merkatua and when I asked for octopus he told me about his Pulpería A'lareira Bilbao and I am so glad he did. I loved every bite: pure artisanal anchovies, and most tender and tastiest Galician octopus I have ever had. And Lorenzo and his staff’s hospitality and friendliness made the experience unforgettable. I highly recommend this place for any octopus and seafood...