Balbuena y Huertas — Restaurant in Seville

It's incomprehensible that this restaurant is recommended by Michelin – and their only recommendation in Triana, too. I must say, it was a tremendous disappointment and there are many many better dining options in the neighborhood. It's a perfectly adequate hotel dining room, but you should not consider it for a night out or special meal or else you will be disappointed.

Balbuena y Huertas is located inside a beautiful historic building, but the actual dining room is in the small hotel lobby and there is no separation between the tables and the front desk. All night, you're distracted by the sliding glass door opening and closing as guests come and go. The ambiance is equivalent to waiting for your checked luggage at a high end business hotel.

There is no reception for the restaurant. We waited for one of the swarming waiters to notice us. When they finally did, they seemed stressed and distracted.

We asked for the wine list and we were given a card with less than 5 whites and 5 reds, and the waitress explained that they don't actually have any of the bottles on the card. She suggested that if I describe what I'm looking for, she will find something similar that they have in stock. I asked for a Rioja and she explained that she could bring me a Toro tempranillo. That sounded fine. When the bottle arrived, I noticed that every other table in the restaurant had the same bottle. I couldn't help but wonder if this was the only bottle of red they had in stock?

We opted for the €35 tasting menu, which seemed like a good value. Reader, I tell you, it wasn't. It was a €35 charade. The first course was a deep bowl filled with a mousse but they do not provide a spoon, they assume you would eat something with this consistency with a fork and knife? The two fish courses were unpleasant. We love Spanish food and all seafood, but these dishes were poorly conceived and prepared. We choked them down. The dessert was a scoop of partially melted ice cream with a stale wafer.

The only bright spot was their grilled Iberian pork and yucca puré. If we ever return again, we would stick to a meat course a la carte.

Finally, we were charged for bread that never came after dining for two hours.

It is uncommon for me to write a scathing review, but we felt duped. Perhaps this review is really pointed at Michelin, which is wittingly or unwittingly, sending their readers down the wrong path and setting this restaurant up to disappoint...

I have stayed at this hotel. I often eat breakfast here when in Sevilla however this will change.

My whole expectations of this establishment have dropped.

I went this morning to get some breakfast whilst waiting for my wife.

It took a while to get served even though I was the only client in the place. I ordered a cappuccino and told the waiter we would be ordering breakfast as soon as my wife arrived.

The coffee took ages to arrive and what turned up was not a cappuccino, it was just a very milky coffee. The waiter was a young guy so I guessed he didn’t really know how to make a proper cappuccino. I wanted to exchange it, but he wasn’t attentive, hiding in the back of the restaurant. 10 minutes passed my wife arrived and the waiter reappeared. My wife ordered an American and I explained the cappuccino situation in the hope of a decent cup of coffee. He took it back and returned with almost the same cup. When I said that he had made the coffee just as before, he told me that’s how he makes it and if I don’t like it… I can go somewhere else.

My wife’s coffee was equally as bad leaving her feeling sick shortly afterwards. So it seems not Only does the waiter not know how to use the coffee machine, he doesn’t clean it. The toilets also were not cleaned.

It’s a shame, we used to like this place. It’s very convenient for the hospital and it was aimed at a more sophisticated market than most of the local places, the eggs Benedict used to be pretty good but I was too scared to try this time given the waiters attitude, we just paid for the coffee and left.

On leaving we took it up with the front desk manager of the hotel, she is always very nice but I think she is fighting a losing battle with the restaurant staff.

I doubt we will be back. Now I understand why the place is getting emptier...

Restaurant Review: Balbuena y Huertas, Seville ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

During our travels, we’ve had the pleasure of dining at many highly regarded restaurants, but our experience at Balbuena y Huertas in Seville truly stood out. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Rocio, whose friendly demeanor immediately set a positive tone for the afternoon.

Rosa graciously guided us through the menu, offering helpful suggestions and answering questions with genuine enthusiasm. Her attentiveness made the ordering process seamless and enjoyable.

We ordered a selection of appetizers and mains, accompanied by sparkling water. Every dish surpassed our expectations—not an easy feat considering how often we dine out. I started with the Duck Gyoza, which was perfectly balanced in flavor and beautifully presented. For my main, I chose the Creamy Pork Cheek in Whisky Sauce—a rich, tender dish that was indulgent without being overwhelming.

My wife began with the Cod Fritter Cones, a creative take on a classic that was both light and flavorful. She followed that with the Grilled Octopus, which was expertly cooked—tender with just the right amount of char, and complemented by thoughtful seasoning.

Yassine provided impeccable service throughout our meal, attentive without being intrusive. Every detail was handled with care, making us feel genuinely looked after.

We don’t often write reviews, but this experience deserves to be shared. Balbuena y Huertas offers exceptional service and creative, high-quality cuisine. It was one of the highlights of our visit to Seville, and we’re more than happy to recommend it to fellow travelers and food...