The Boab Tree Restaurant — Restaurant in Estepona

For our last evening in Estepona, my partner and I chose The Baob Tree, drawn by its modern interior and the numerous contemporary artworks displayed on the walls. The venue is elegant and refined, creating a pleasant atmosphere for dinner.

The table was set with a tablecloth and placemats, a detail rarely seen in Spain.

The service was impeccable: the staff were refined and very kind in welcoming and serving dishes and wine. We were offered a small refreshing tasting, similar to a typical Spanish gazpacho, which was both appreciated and enjoyable.

The food was very good: my beef rib was excellent, while the croquettes, though improvable, were still very tasty. The cheescake was a bit flat... We ordered a white wine from 2019, historically a very good vintage in Spain. Unfortunately, what we were served was from 2024, without this discrepancy being communicated at any point.

At the time of the bill, a woman (who I assume was the manager or owner) presented a proforma invoice listing two totals: one without tip, which she explicitly said was the due amount, and one including a gratuity. Since she also asked if everything had gone well, I took the opportunity to point out the wine vintage discrepancy. She said it was a simple error, apologized for it, and added that the menu still needed to be updated. Yet deep down, it felt more like an excuse than anything else, possibly an attempt to add a few euros to the bill hoping we wouldn’t notice.

When the same woman returned to receive payment, she indicated the total with a 10% tip, saying: “Ok, then shall we go with this total?” I perceived this as a clear attempt at gaslighting. Naturally, I paid the due total instead, noting her visible nonverbal disapproval.

This implicit pressure to leave an American-style tip is unacceptable. The “tipping culture” imposed unilaterally can become real psychological coercion, especially for those not used to objecting or asserting their rights, and in some cases, I consider it comparable to a form of psychological exploitation.

Overall, while the food and service were very good, the experience was overshadowed by the management’s approach to the bill, leaving an unfortunate and lasting...

Wow! I love this place! I’m American and visited family in Estepona. Knowing my tastes, they took me to Boab Tree — and I absolutely loved it.

The vibes: Elegant and artsy is difficult to achieve without slipping into snobbery, but they nailed it. The music, the visual art (which is spectacularly cool, by the way), and the food presentation all come together to create an experience on par with boutique restaurants in New York. Anissa and her husband are friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous without ever being standoffish or intrusive. It’s the perfect balance of being made to feel special while still being left to enjoy your evening.

The food: I didn’t understand some of the items on the menu, but Anissa’s husband patiently explained everything, and in the end I went with a vegetarian option. The artichoke starter and Mediterranean veggies were next level. (Sorry, no photos — I was too busy enjoying every bite!)

Tipping: Since this was my first trip to Spain, I wasn’t sure about tipping etiquette. When I asked, Anissa explained that it’s entirely optional (though always appreciated) with zero pressure to do so. Of course I did tip, but I loved how she explained it in a way that felt relaxed and not obligatory.

Overall: A solid A+ dining and art experience....

Overall, we were rather disappointed as we had read the reviews and the restaurant was recommended to us by friends. We were there on a Friday night so expected it to be busy and quite lively, which it was. Undecided about which wines to get, the sommelier was directed to our table and having told him what sort of wines we liked, he gave us 3 wines to taste before we chose. This was a nice experience. We chose 2 starters to share, the potato with choice of dips and the assortment of croquettes. The potatoes were undercooked and the croquettes were overcooked and there was little to discern between the flavours. Both were very over salted. We then had a long wait before our mains arrived, the sea bass and the lamb chops, both with sautéed vegetables. Both plates were pleasant but there was nothing to make them standout. We can appreciate the owners of this establishment are trying to achieve something different in an obviously competitive market on this busy road full of well established restaurants and admire them for that. The atmosphere was definitely lively and interesting with live artists at work but we feel they need to improve the quality of their food if they wish to survive in this...