Kokotxa Jatetxea

My wife and I came here for lunch while on vacation in San Sebastian. We had the market menu, which included several courses. I can say without reservation that this was the most satisfying meal I have ever eaten. The courses were varied, and each was delicious. My favorites were probably the tuna steak (not pictured), the Iberian pork shoulder, and the main dessert course (not pictured). The staff were both efficient and very knowledgeable and helpful. The atmosphere was also pleasant. I was expecting the food to be good, but I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy the overall experience. I hope that I can come back someday.

Excellent food. You can choose from 2 menus. We had the market menu. Very nice dishes with original balanced flavours. We started with 5 amuses. The lobster soup as an apetizer was amazing. Great experience. Impressive wine list. Gambas with broth was another signature dish Service was a bit mixed depending on the waiter/waitress. The tempo in the beginning was too high. We still had our Negroni, when the first apetizers were served.

I entered hungry and dangerously underwined. What followed was less of a meal and more of a beautifully choreographed ambush. I left reborn, overwhelmed, and a couple of hundred euros poorer — but spiritually wealthier and undeniably more pleased with life. The meal began with a three piece snack, and I blacked out briefly from joy. I don’t recall what it was, nor do I particularly care, but I know that that fermented miso and soy butter that went with the bread is worth killing for. The first course was oyster, kumquat, and a hint of fennel. A daring ménage à trois between ocean, citrus, and a vegetable that usually just sits quietly in the corner. Not today. The twist? A foamed sauce hollandaise that made the trip to San Sebastián all worth it. Then came a silky, flirtatious bite of hamachi, with some sesame and avocado. Imagine sashimi that got a PhD in aromatics and now travels first class. The second - or was it the third glass of wine??? - was starting to make the wife happy. I can recognize that glint in her eyes from a mile away. At this point, the bonito showed up. Like a señorita relaxing on a bed of tomatillo, paired with yet another excellent white wine, I started to make promises I knew I couldn’t keep. That tuna brought back my appreciation for the ingenuity of humanity. A true feast for both the eyes and the pallet. Then - the lobster and caviar This wasn’t a dish. This was aristocracy on a plate. A delicate turf war between decadence and restraint — with no clear winner. I think I licked the bowl. By now, the wife is getting a little cross eyed. This was more wine during the last hour or so, than she’s had all vacation. Now she’s glowing. You know what they say: “happy wife, happy life”. I wasn’t complaining. La pièce de resistance - Kokotxas - the gelatinous throat kiss of the sea. So soft it made me question my relationship with solid food. And, as unpredictable as the weather in this green and lush country, it came with a glass of sake. I remember taking a look at the missus and thinking “this Viking goddess is about to come to life. I am not sure San Sebastián is ready for this.“ Then, an architectural marvel — scallop as foundation, asparagus beams, and a crunchy lace hat so delicate I briefly feared breathing near it. Names like Gaudi, Calatrava, Hadid, Foster, Gehry and Nouvel flashed through my mind - the great visionaries of modern architecture. This was my absolute favorite, and at this point I felt that life doesn’t get any better than this, and if I die tonight, I die as a happy man. Then came the catch of the day - was it Hake? At this stage of the evening my memory was getting a little bit hazy, I will admit. Somewhere under a layer of foam was a fish that once had dreams — and now fulfilled mine. My dear wife had now left all thoughts of sobriety behind her, and more worryingly, getting full. Which in practical terms meant that the pigeon from Bresse now became two pigeons from Bresse on my plate. Plus the accompanying wine. At this stage I’m thinking I can’t do four more courses, and safely get back to the hotel. But fear not, my beautiful lady found her composure again and the three desserts passed in a blur. Tart, sweet, earthy — a tribute to everything that grows, ferments, and seduces. When it was time for the petits fours, they arrived like the last note of a symphony you didn’t want to end. If I am honest, I don’t remember these. I may have cried a little. Final Verdict If you’re looking for a meal, go somewhere else. If you’re looking to be seduced, challenged, coddled, intoxicated, and artistically bewildered — book a table. This was more than dinner. It was theatre. A waltz. A slow, decadent descent into deliciousness — where time stood still and wine flowed freely. Highly recommended. Bring an appetite. Bring someone you love. And thank you for a wonderful evening and experience.

Best restaurant that I have tried in Spain. I live in a city full of Michelin restaurants and Kokotxa Jatetxea still amazed me. The food and service quality is excellent!!! If you like seafood, definitely worth a try!!

Great tasting menu, service and atmosphere, in a great area of the Old Town - every dish was excellent in taste and presentation!

Service was fantastic, though there were points of the service where one could've expected smoother service like drink service. Otherwise we had the tasting menu which was good and with interesting flavors, though some were definitely better than others. The tuna with pumpkin and curry was a nice dish, but the squid noodles wasn't totally it. A bit of a shame towards the end as we were celebrating a special occasion but the extra treat at the end had allergens in it, which made it a little disappointing.

Probably the best meal I’ve had in recent memory. Definitely worth doing the tasting menu; each course was executed beautifully. We elected not to do the pairing and wine by the glass was very reasonably priced and delicious. Service was great as well. Our waiter wrote us a list of his favorites restaurants in the city which was very helpful.

Everything was good. Staff were attentive from start to finish. Could see that the staff trying to move fast to move through the courses but did not feel pressured at all to finish. Food was exceptionally good as expected from a Michelin starred restaurant. Did not feel pressured to purchase expensive wines but recommended to get at least a bottle of white to complement the seafood meal. Only minor hiccup was some scales found in some of the fish dishes.