La Ballena El Cotillo — Restaurant in La Oliva

Besides Santa Anna this is possibly the best meal we have had in Cotillo in our 2 stays here!! We try a new place very night if we can and this was brilliant. They brought the blackboard menus with specials and mains but we stuck to our 4 or 5 tapas as you get to taste a load of different flavours. Had the mixed salad with mixed croquettes first as they brought them out in stages (which is the best way to go) followed by garlic prawns and bread then pepers stuffed with cod in rojo sauce and finally stuffed mushrooms in a creamy dill sauce. All with 4 Dorada especially......and stuffed!! Waiter was brilliant all food piping hot and a view of the sea and sunset to boot!! All for the princely sum of €58!!!!!!one of the cheapest meals we have had too!!! We have tried PintXO and Terrana Pizza (both next door) and are really good but this in our view is the best of the 3!! The top...

Had the opportunity to have a Christmas dinner there and maybe that was the problem... All I wanted to have was some fresh local fish, perhaps grilled, but the only choice was their Christmas menu...So I ordered Basque hake with clams, asparagus and hard boiled egg in some starchy white sauce (guess it could be mushroom?, no sign of them though, just the taste?). The fish was overcooked, the asparagus very overcooked, mushy. It was served as it was, no side dish, which I didn't know and wasn't aware. Had to order potatoes after it was served. All of this served by cold as a stone waitress. Had 2 glasses of Rioja and still water, all this for €35?! I bet I could do better elsewhere in El Cotillo. They could maybe provide good quality food in some other...

Our last dinner after a four night stay in El Cotillo and thankfully they were able to accommodate us on New Year Eve (booked via FB before we arrived).

It was the best meal we've had, sorry no photos as we were hungry but after eating so much seafood in the last few days, we opted for steak strips and fillet steak with mushroom sauce. The chips were amazing and so much better compared to the soggy ones I had from a nearby restaurant the night before.

Food came out quickly even though the staff were run off their feet. Very attentive too.

Highly recommend booking ahead and...