Food was great. Intensive flavours so for someone like me who enjoys that it was perfect. Service was good an casual so definitely a place to come back to. Only reason service only get 4 is compared to other guide restaurants with attention to details like refilling water etc. But don’t get me wrong. It’s a very nice place. For someone new to the basque kitchen it’s a perfect way to start by kicking in the front door.

We really enjoyed the dishes we ordered and the atmosphere was relaxing. The staff was very attentive. This is a great way to try Michelin-quality seafood in Bilbao. My favorites of the night were the green rice with seafood and the sea bass with lemongrass cream. My girlfriend's favorite was the "cigalas." I originally wanted to try the "reí" but it is prepared for 2 people only, so try to bring someone with you to share it! Tip: if you're interested in the tasting menu, make sure you ask for it in advance! (We didn't know this but still really enjoyed ordering à la carte)

Amazing meal. Food was excellent, some of the best seafood dishes I have had. Inventive without losing the Basque heritage. Oyster was excellent, as was the red mullet fritter. Wine was an absolute steal, with the sommelier picking out a lovely bottle for a ridiculously reasonable price. Only criticism was that we did feel the dishes arrived too quickly between courses, and they could have let the dish settle before removing the plates - but that is very minor. Highly recommend if you are in the area and love your seafood.

Had lunch with my fiancée, we went for the chef's table experience: if you are passionate about food and the food industry as we are (I am a chef and a sommelier and she's a restaurant manager) you have to experience this. The attention to details, the possibility to have a direct contact with the chef and the sous chef and have the courses explained by them is unique. And the food concept is superlative: local, seasonal, traditional but with no limit to creativity. The chef was able to use a fish/seafood/seaweed element in every single course from the amuse bouche to the desserts. Combinations of flavours out of the ordinary. Speechless!

The food was great, we really enjoyed the 11-course set menu. Unfortunately, the service was very-very bad. They had forgotten our reservation and were unwelcoming when we arrived. The food was served very quickly with little explanation of what was being served, which is disrespectful for both the clients and the chef. And in the end, they gave our coats and almost pushed us outside of the restaurant - we had to wear our coats outside in the cold. It's a shame that the bad quality of service completely spoiled our experience of the wonderful food and the evening.

Good restaurant which specialises in seafood. Some of the dishes from the tasting menu were incredible, others not so. Service was good.

Yessss! Please, at least once a month! But only as once a week might be a bit much… We went for the 11-course-menu. Sounds great and is great. The sommelier suggested wines to go with the dishes. We’ll definitely buy some of these great whites and reds. Fresh fish, one after another. Friendly service, surely worth a visit.

Im not a fish or seafood person so I didnt enjoy as much. My family loved it. There are about 12 to 14 small dishes, mostly fish and seafood! My favourite was the mustard based dessert. It was also the more budget friendly michelin stars.

We had an amazing dinner. So tasty, so delicious 🤤 the portions look small but i was feeling extremely full after 11+ courses, each one more delicious and special than the other. The fish was amazingly prepared. Never ate fish that good. Thank you for such a great dinner!

I had such high expectations about this place but it really disappointed. The ambience was very cold and sterile with no music for the majority of the dinner. Staff was very rude, didn't pay attention and we had to ask them to pour our wine every single time. They all looked miserable, didn't ask for any allergies and brought the food out without any joy. The food itself was mediocre at best. We didn't finish some courses especially the dessert ones as they combined bizarre flavors like malt, beer and soy sauce. Overall we left disappointed having had 2€ pintxos that were better than this food

As I stepped into this unassuming Basque restaurant, the aromas hit me like a punch in the face. This was clearly a place that took its food seriously. The first thing that caught my eye was the pintxos bar, a sight that would make any food lover's heart skip a beat. The colorful array of bite-sized delights, stacked high on the counter, was a feast for the eyes. I was seated at a small table by the window, and as I perused the menu, I couldn't help but notice the emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. The chef clearly had a deep respect for the traditions of Basque cuisine, but was not afraid to put his own spin on things. I started with the classic Gilda pintxo, a skewer of salty anchovy, spicy guindilla pepper, and briny olive. The flavors were explosive, and I knew I was in for a treat. Next up was the txangurro gratin, a dish that showcases the local spider crab. The crabmeat was rich and buttery, mixed with béchamel and topped with a crispy bread crumb crust. It was indulgent, but not overly heavy. For my main course, I ordered the kokotxas al pil pil, a dish of hake cheeks cooked in garlic and olive oil until they were meltingly tender. The sauce was a rich emulsion of fish stock and the natural gelatin from the kokotxas, with a slight kick from the chili. I finished off the meal with a slice of tarta de queso, a Basque-style cheesecake that was light and fluffy, with a touch of citrus. Overall, this restaurant was a true gem. The food was expertly prepared, and the flavors were bold and unforgettable. I left feeling like I had experienced a true taste of Basque country, and I couldn't wait to come back for more.

Nice place to eat

Good restaurant for business but I was expecting more from Bilbao Let's put it plain: it's an expensive fancy restaurant with high quality food and good recipes. But compared with what you get in a good pintxos bar in Bilbao and the value for money, is not worth it. Except for the truffled egg and some special mushrooms you only get in a short season in Spring (Perretxikos), the rest was kind of simple. Good, but simple. It's not about the money (that comes on top). The flavors I tasted in a good pintxos place in Bilbao were far better than Zarate. I was there in May 2019

Service was good but the tasting menu left to be desired. I did love the red mullet dish, by far the best. However the crayfish was not for me and I couldn’t even finish all the dishes. Most were very salty, very oily, very fishy.

Incredible food and fine service. Well deserved michelin star.

Excellent seafood, cooking, and flavors. The presentation is fairly modern. The portions are generous for that. From the website I was expecting something more rustic and traditional. The ambience is very lacking. It needs a refurb badly. The lights were very bright and there was no music. The service was professional and very fast, too fast. We felt rushed and that they didn’t care to explain the dishes to us or about our experience.

Should NEVER have a Michelin star!

Fine cooking, in a calm and relaxed atmosphere.

From a guest who has dined at restaurants with over 1000 Michelin stars, The worst restaurant ever. Shameless service and stubborn self-persistence. Poor cooking skills can be forgiven, but your attitude is so lousy; this is a problem with your conduct as a person Two of us went to dine, and the restaurant recommended the fresh seafood of the day, including clams and king prawns. For the clam dishes, they used a lot of spices that completely masked the taste of the supposedly fresh seafood. As for the prawns, they were neither fresh nor properly cooked; they claimed it was grilled, but it was just pan-frying and be pressed on a hotplate. I could do a much better job myself. Next, we ordered a crab, but it was loaded with excessive seasonings that completely masked the freshness of the crab. Overall, we came for the seafood, but none of the dishes were up to par. When the meal was over, the restaurant asked us about our dining experience, and we gave them honest feedback. Their response was that this is their traditional way of cooking, and they were very stubborn about it. Instead of valuing our feedback, they showed no respect for their customers. If you're so committed to your own way of doing things, why even bother to ask us for feedback for 10 minutes? Did you just want to hear exaggerated praise? Poor cooking skills can be forgiven, but your attitude is so lousy; this is a problem with your conduct as a person. As we were leaving, we told them that this was our worst experience in Bilbao, and the server just said, 'Thank you,' without any shame. Please, do not come here. Do not come here to waste your money，time and ruin your whole day.