Mirador de Ulía — Restaurant in San Sebastián

We booked this restaurant for my birthday during a holiday to San Sebastian in August 2024. We had high hopes given its rating in Michelin but some misgivings with some recent reviews elsewhere. I should have paid more attention.

We booked the tasting menu with wine pairing. Unfortunately from the moment we arrived this was a near comical Fawlty Towers disaster. The entrance was terribly handled, with a closed door not being very inviting, and once in there was clear confusion everywhere. The person at the desk immediately ran off to find help, saying they did not speak English. Our Spanish is poor but we always manage!

We were seated but no menu or wine list appeared. Despite doing the wine pairing we wanted a glass of something sparkling to start as it was my birthday. It was first of all a challenge to find someone, and then complete confusion. They first explained that the wine would come with food as we started and it took three attempts to order two glasses, with the waiter or waitress running off without us having chance to speak!

We eventually got two glasses, but given no menu or prices. We were then told there was no sommelier so they could not do the wine pairing. This seemed to be news to half of the waiting staff given they explained that the wine would come with each course!

So despite ordering the wine pairing we were only told after the first course came out that there was no sommelier, and not even offered the wine list! We would of course have gone elsewhere if advised in advance so I can see why they hid it.

The food then started. Some courses were ok, most were poor. I do not think there is a chef here, but someone following instructions on how to put it together.

It somehow got worse. There was no description of the dishes given and we eventually realised we had missed two courses. This was met with a "oh, sorry" but nothing more. The waitress then took away one course and proceeded to then give us the same one, describing it again. It again took three attempts to explain we had already had it.

By this time we were about ready to get out! There was continual confusion and arguing by the staff and they mostly wanted everyone to leave. Everyone else was also complaining and eventually they gave everyone a glass of something sparkling, but this was no way enough!

We complained and they took the wine off our bill. We should have asked for more given it was still 280 Euros.

So very disappointing, avoid this place. Don't be fooled...

A fantastic view but such a pity that the dining is bad... Went to the restaurant - as highly recommended. View was breathtaking and this is definitely one of the best spots. Reception was OK with an excellent drink and nice bread. From here...Cold, unpleasantly air conditioning and the personel saw that at least at three tables all guests took their clothes / overcoats. Light was too bright - no atmosphere at all. Only a tasting menu was available, but there was no overall presentation. Wine was supposed to be paired, but the sommelier offered only one bottle of white wine, that frankly was not impressive. Again no presentation, and it was not complementary. At our table and at another table there was a discussion about a glass of red wine paired with the meat, but that was "forgotten" (and it is not an issue of cost). 12 courses - absolutely too much as they were served over 4 hours and many did not really differ in texture or taste. Overall very bland as taste and texture, nothing special nothing wow. Poorly presented - some personnel was unable to speak english, using only fake smiles and a too repeated "scuze me" (a uncoordinated "dance of several persons and not a sense that you had a maitre d" or somebody that was really caring for you). When the meat course arrived, we were announced that there is no more beef and we should taste duck. Refusing, we were offered with contempt Waygu beef, which was horribly cooked and tasted...By the end of the 4 hours one of the toilet cabins was dirty., The price was one 50 per cent more than in another Michelin restaurant in Bilbao. So this should be downgraded or change the chef or the chef was absent. Poor experience excepting the...

This place is on the Michelin recommend guide but I don’t know why. As a regular at Michelin restaurants around the world, we know what to expect but glad this place doesn’t make the grade ( in our opinion ).

On a positive note, the place is stunning, with views to die for. The staff were great but not upto Michelin standards. Thou with a little more training they could be. The venue lacked an experience Sommelier, hence we had to determine which wine to pair with our various dishes as we opted not to do the wine pairing. One tip, offer a wine menus in English.

Where improvements are need to bring it up to Michelin standard were;

They failed to issue us with a tasting menu was presented to us, making it difficult to follow the dining experience as we had no reference to the journey. We also noticed that various staff had various degree of knowledge of the dishes. I think we should training they could improve that.

The tasting menu itself was too fish heavy with only one plate offering a non fish main ingredient. The dishes were presented well, but nothing special. Each dish tasted similar to the next. The only non fish dish was duck, which thou above average was not consistent, what I mean is that some got a leg, others got a breast.

Our party had two vegetarians and one vegan. The overall feedback was the dishes were presented well, but again lack imagination and many simply tasted the same.

This place has so much potential if they take simply take a look at their menu and consider searching for a chef with the imagination the venue deserves. At the price point, their have some work to do.

Overall we give...