Bilbao Restaurants

Bar Eme's sandwiches are an institution in Bilbao. They sell lots of different types of sandwich but it is most famous for its "triangulos" very simple - ham, lettuce, mayonaise and a "secret sauce" and its "torres" stacked sandwiches with laters of ham, egg, anchovies and that "secret sauce".

Its croquettas are pretty amazing too, but the triangulos are well worth a diversion for, they are the best!

You can get lunch for 2 with drinks for about 15E here.

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The old town has many bars and cafes to choose from. We enjoyed an evening drrifting from one to another with a drink and a snack in each.
A tapas crawl I uess.
Plaza Nueva particularly enjoyable and busy.

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Often find ourselves in a curry house on a Friday evening on our travels, Bilbao no exception.
Good vegetarian choices tempted us inside and food nicely prepared and tasty.
Pretty busy while we were therebut service quick and friendly, enjoyed our visit.
Not sure about the spelling?

Kalderapeko is a nice pub in the Casco Viejo (Old Town). This pub is directly related to the 'euskaltegi' (basque language school) upstairs, so the basque language and culture are lively practiced here.
The pub is probided by a WIFI network, so you can use the internet for free.
Most of the times they have some pintxos if you are hungry and they also serve good menus on weekends. You can have a look in their website if you are interested in.

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Mandanga Restaurant, located in the port of Santurce, is probably one of the best places near Bilbao to eat fresh grilled fish. In this classic restaurant you can eat a delicious fish in a quite cheap price, between 12€ and 18€, unless you ask for besugo, one of the most preciated fishes in this area, it should cost around 50€.
But the best is that they grill the fish in the street where they have all the fish expossed, so you can watch the material directly and choose.
The cooks are in the tipical basque fisherman suit, blue 'maon' trausers and shirt.

To reach Mandanga take the Metro to Portugalete (las station in Line 2), go downhill to the Hangging Bridge and continue walking in the banks of the river in sea direction. In about 10-15 minutes you´ll arrive to the Port of Santurce. Just in the port is an old white building where you´ll read 'Hogar del Pescador'. That's it!! Mandanga is located in the Fishermen's Home in the port!!
And if you are not able to find it just ask for Mandanga´s once you are in Santurce, everybody know that!!
Most of the times it´s full so I recomend you to book a table. TLF: 94 461 02 11

Favorite Dish: A good dinner for two people could be:

- Start with:
Mussels in Green Sauce.
Jabugo Jam.
- Continue with any of this fishes combined with a simple salad dressed with salt, vinegar and olive oil:
Txitxarro
Sardinas: Sardines
Dorada
Rape
Lubina
Rodaballo: Turbot.
Besugo: Sea-Bream.
- And finish with:
Sorbete de Limón
Coffee
Patxarán: Tipical basque liquor.

PRICE: Between 30 and 40 €uros per person.

Maybe it´s not the tipical basque food restaurant, but there is no dobut that it´s a great place to eat good meat.
La Parrilla Argentina, as his own name says, is an argentian style grill. It´s quite expensive but the quality and de service are also very good.
It could be a good idea to book the place because it has many customers, specially on weekends.

Favorite Dish: I would recomend the following dishes:
Brocheta de setas (grilled meat and mushrooms)... 8.00€
Provoleta al oregano (grilled cheese with oregan).... 8.00€
Parrila de la huerta (different grilled vegetables)...... 12.00€
Baibi bis (huge grilled pieces of argentian meat)..... 45.00€

Here we go!!

First check the page:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/c4b81/be/

Is all about pintxos in the basque country.

For restaurats:
Probably my favourite...
http://www.cubita.biz/
It´s expensive, clse to bilbao, 15min by tube

El perro chico
http://www.10best.com/Bilbao/Restaurants/Basque/index.html
The cod is specially good

Marisquería Rimbombin
(48 Hurtado de Amézaga. Tel. 94 441 0192) One of Bilbao\'s best seafood restaurants offers some of the freshest produce around. Top-class, locally caught produce and especially good oysters.

http://www.restauranteguria.com/
In Bilbao, the menu degustacion is very good

http://www.etxanobe.com/principal-eng.html
Very good, very expensive

Restaurante Mugarra is a long time local favourite. It opens early in the morning for breakfast, and has "pintxos" and tortillas in abundance. It has been a prize winner in both these fields for a number of years, and lots of things disappear the moment they come out of the kitchen, so ask for them quickly! Coffee is good (always a good sign in Bilbao). They also have a restaurant area in the rear which does slightly more upmarket and expensive menus of the day at lunchtime, but the improvement in quality is worth it.
Efficient service. Chef: Luis Carlos Sanz.
Always take visitors to Bilbao there and have yet to be disappointed. Also a la carte.
Trivia: Mugarra is a mountain peak in the Durango range in Bizkaia.

Favorite Dish: Too many to describe...all tortillas are excellent, and love their early morning sausage and bacon roll! Pintxos with vegetables are excellent. Menu of the day is very good value.