Restaurante Mendiondo

This villa-style restaurant, tucked away in the mountains, specializes in traditional Basque cuisine, featuring stone and wooden décor. There is ample seating, divided between outdoor spaces in the open glasshouse and indoor seating on the ground floor. The manager is welcoming and eager to share information about the cuisine and wines, while the wait staff are friendly and ready to serve and explain the dishes. An online e-menu is available in Basque, Spanish, and English. We tried Layers of cod macerated in arbequina and red pepper roasted over firewood, Peppers stuffed with Lobster-Crab and seafood cream base (6 units), Wild black Monkfish slices accompanied by a vegetable cocktail, an entrecote main course accompanied by bakers and mixed with firewood, and a Mandarina. Each dish was authentic and flavorful without being overly salty. I was especially impressed by the Peppers stuffed with Lobster-Crab and seafood cream base, a dish I tried for the first time. The crispy fried red peppers and creamy interior perfectly combined with a special sauce. Including drinks, we paid around 135 EUR, which is reasonable for a Michelin-recommended restaurant considering the quality and quantity of the food. The restaurant is only open for midday meals and primarily operates on reservations, so if you have the chance to visit the area, it's a must-try. As it’s not easily accessible by public transportation, it’s best to go by car. There is some free parking available. The restaurant also accepts group reservations for weddings.

Amazing food, service and location. One of the best Txuletas (Steak) I have ever had. Everything was delicious and high quality.

An excellent experience! Josu is the perfect host and the waiters helpful and with a great sense of humour. The food was superb, particularly the tomatoes from the vegetable garden, and the octopus. Not cheap, but the location makes it well worth it. Highly recommended.

We stayed in a holiday house a 25 minute walk down the road. We had a delicious lunch here with our kids of 13 and 14 on the terrace where you overlook the woods nearby. Wines were wonderful also. The owner was so nice to arrange a taxi for us to save us the walk back.

Restaurant is traditional and good quality. However, for a traditional vasc restaurant, the portions of the starters are ridiculously small and expensive. You can’t offer fresh anchovies and serve one per person at a crazy price. Does not work out. Overall, good quality food, good wine seller, but a bit pretentious and not balanced with the region. Meat was ok, I have tried better “chuleton” in other places.

EXPECTACULAR

La comida estuvo muy buena, no le puse todas las estrellas porque las croquetas de jamón no me sorprendieron aunque estuvieron buenas. Si me sorprendió el cuidado que ponen al hacer comida más saludable, sin salsas copiosas etc. El lugar es precioso y el servicio excelente.

Restaurante muy coqueto en plena naturaleza. Tiene un buen parking. Nos pusieron una mesa en la terraza cubierta que tiene unas vistas maravillosas. Como primer aperitivo nos pusieron un chupito de crema de calabaza, que con el día lluvioso que hacía era perfecto y después nos sacaron una croqueta de cecina muy rica. De primer entrante pedimos unas laminas de bacalao con pimientos asados de su propia huerta y despues unos medallones de manitas de cerdo con vizcaina que estaban de llorar. De plato principal pedimos un Machote o también llamado Pargo que estaba tremendamente bien ejecutado a la plancha. Terminamos con una tarta de queso horneada muy buena. Todo bien regado con una botella de Itsasmendi 7. El servicio magnífico, los camareros iban muy bien uniformados y el local y los baños limpios y todo muy ordenado. El ambiente distendido y muy familiar. Muy recomendable, amenazo con volver.