Iraeta taberna — Restaurant in San Sebastián

★☆☆☆☆ Fat with a hint of meat – Felt Like a Tourist Scam

We came here excited to try their specialty Basque T-bone steak, but walked away feeling completely ripped off. The steak was supposedly 1.3kg, but nearly half of it was fat – completely inedible and not at all what was shown to us before cooking (see attached photos). Centre of the fat remained white showing it remained so thick that heat hadn’t reached.

At places the fat was near the depth of the fork!

When we raised the issue with the waiter, he insisted this was “normal” and even claimed the steak served to the other table was also 1.3kg. But we watched that steak go out – it was clearly far meatier and of much better quality than ours. It felt like we were deliberately given the worst cut because we’re tourists.

The restaurant charged us for 1.3kg for the imaged steak. We felt this was not just disappointing – it’s dishonest.

This place may pretend to be serving premium Basque steak, but our experience suggests otherwise. If you’re a local, maybe you get the real thing. Definitely not worth the hype or the money as a tourist. Beware.

Oh tomatoes and green peppers were a...

We did a thorough and thoughtful search for the very best grilled steak in San Sebastian, looking for a taberna that is authentic, a local favorite, a completely authentic and unpretentious neighborhood grill. We found it. Just an hour ago, we finished a world class meal: ensalada de tomate, grilled gambas, chuleta and piparras, along with a bottle of txakoli de Getaria and a bottle of Tempranillo de La Rioja. The meal began with a warm and fun connection with the owner and our waiter --they knew we we coming and were genuine in their greeting and menu guidance. We were provided a courtesy "viewing" of our uncooked chuleta (our steak) for our approval while we enjoyed our tomatoes and gambas. The steak was served sliced on an iron plate, sizzling hot, which provided the option to allow some of the sliced portions to continue cooking beyond the typical rare. It's difficult to describe food, but each item was absolutely delicious, perfectly prepared, seasoned and salted exactly right, and served timely with pride. We have spent a couple months in San Sebastian each year several time over, and this evening was our favorite meal in...

An outstanding solo dining experience! I stopped by on my own and was warmly welcomed by the gentleman and lady running the place – both incredibly kind and attentive, which made me feel instantly comfortable.

I ordered their specialities, and everything was top-notch. The Txuleton al gusto was a massive cut, well over a kilo, grilled to perfection – incredibly tender and flavorful. The fat layer isn’t meant to be eaten, of course, but it added a wonderful depth of flavour to the meat.

The Ensalada de tomate de nuestra zona was simple yet a real treat – every tomato was perfectly ripe and seasoned just right. The Pimientos Gernika en su punto was another highlight: lightly blistered, full of flavour, and perfectly done.

The espresso was exceptional—rich and smooth, akin to great Italian coffee. To top it off, I was offered a complimentary digestif, a thoughtful gesture to conclude a wonderful meal.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys authentic cuisine, generous portions, and warm hospitality—even when...