Kaia Kaipe — Restaurant in Getaria

Well, after working in high class 5 star hospitality, I was very happy with the food and the nice girl who served us patiently. However, the chef de salle (tall, blond, friendly and welcoming at first sight) turned out to be a money maker. I am happy to pay prices for good food and wine, but when looking at other tables, he clearly had preferences of whom to serve. He was very professional when ordering and then disappeared. No question about how we liked the fish he suggested us. When asking the menu of the digestifs the 3rd time, he only went to his colleague and shared our complaints in a way that we could see. He did not even say goodbye. Quite a disappointing service considering that my friend brought us there for her birthday, she went there many times with her parents and recommended the restaurant. Small detail: on the plate with chocolate and Madeleine they served free of charge, a piece of plastic/baking paper was on top of the chocolate. Too bad we could not share that with him as he just never came to ask for feedback. We left about 300 € with 4 people, but won't come back. True, we had a day at the seaside and weren't dressed in our evening attire, but this was just another proof of how less the people of the region care about customers. Unless you don't care about the welcoming and caring of staff, it's no place to come back. Fish is certainly good in the neighbour restaurants. On a side note, the chef who was in charge of the grill outdoor was very friendly. Too bad the service team wasn't having that much of a...

A Tale of Two Experiences: Superb Food, but a Shaky Welcome.

Kaia Kaipe is a restaurant of contrasts, but let me say this upfront: the food, especially the grilled turbot, is absolutely phenomenal and worth seeking out. The star of the evening was, without a doubt, the turbot. It was one of the best I have ever had — perfectly grilled, succulent, and full of flavor. This is what Basque grilling is all about. The starter of baby squid was also delicious. The dining room on the second floor is a lovely, classic space, and the service there was impeccable: professional, correct, and perfectly paced. It was a true pleasure to dine there.

However, the experience started on a very disappointing note. Despite arriving at a nearly empty restaurant with a reservation, the welcome at the terrace entrance was cold and borderline hostile. I was twice offered the worst possible tables right by the busy entrance. It was only after I firmly insisted and was ready to leave that I was shown to a lovely table in the main dining room upstairs. While I appreciate the eventual flexibility, this initial struggle was an unnecessary and unpleasant start to what should have been a perfect evening.

In conclusion, Kaia Kaipe is home to some truly exceptional cooking, and the service in the main dining room is top-notch. My advice to future diners: don't be discouraged if you have a similar issue at the entrance. Insist on a table in the beautiful upstairs dining room — the culinary reward is more...

We were extremely disappointed by this upscale restaurant in Getaria. The restaurant was recommended by our hotel and it has some good reviews on line, but our experience did not match the reviews at all. The place is elegant and has a nice atmosphere. There was a Maitre De, taking everyone’s order, but to our surprise when he came to our table he did not tell us about any daily specials or any chef recommendations. He just left us to view the menu and select our foods. So we ordered some oysters and the Rodaballo (Turbot) for two, along with a bottle of wine. Slowly, other servers began to bring our food. The oysters were not very good at all, and were stuck to the shell. When they brought the Rodaballo, it did not look very good at all, but then the server took it off to a table nearby to serve it in our plate. The presentation was awful. She literally tore it apart and gave us pieces of fish. Once we tasted the fish, it was quite obvious that it was not a wild fish, but farmed. Definitely not worth the price. Also, the fish did not come with any sides, which the Maitre De failed to tell us. We ordered some potatoes, and surprisingly they came right away, but again, with little taste to them. The food in this restaurant was mediocre at best, definitely not worth the exorbitant prices, and the service was also very poor. I am sure you can eat just about any place in Getaria better than this...