The story
Nestled in the quiet Basque town of Axpe-Martzaa, Asador Etxebarri has earned a reputation as one of the world's premier dining destinations, consistently living up to the hype. Jack's Dining Room called it “the second best restaurant in the world,” praising its incredible dry-aged beef and seafood. That same reviewer declared the 10-year-old Galician beef steak “the best steak of my life,” while delicate grilled sea urchin and Palamos prawns showcase seafood mastery.
The kitchen excels at elevating simple seasonal components through open-fire cooking. Dishes like Mediterranean cuttlefish topped with the most expensive peas in the world and raw chorizo with crackers demonstrate precision and restraint. While an investment, the combination of refined technique and top-tier produce makes this a standout culinary landmark.
Synthesised by AI from every creator’s review. First reviewed 2025.
Most-loved dishes
AI summary of what 19 dish mentions say about the food
Grilled over smoldering oak coals, the Spanish seabream achieves a transcendent smokiness that defines Asador Etxebarri. The overall vibe is one of elemental, rustic perfection, where simplicity becomes sublime.
“They come tableside plated for you. It has the gelatin of the fish mixed with olive oil. M. Incredibly tender. And the olive oil sauce on top is amazing. I'm a very big fan of that.”
“Next up, we have a Spanish seabream. The gelatin of the fish mixed with olive oil on top. Incredibly tender. One of the more tender pieces of white fish I've ever had. This one's a little deceiving because it's not the prettiest dish they brought out by any means, but I think it is one of the more tasty dishes. It's not like super flaky where it like falls apart all over. It's like you got a little chew to it. One of like the better pieces of white fish I've ever had in my life. It's almost cooked like a little rare. That got that like bite to it. And it's not too fishy, but it's still really juicy and meaty. It's honestly exceptional. This is good.”
What creators say
2 creators have covered Asador Etxebarri. Most active: Jack's Dining Room
- Jack's Dining RoomLoved
I flew to Spain to try the second best restaurant in the world 📍Asador Etxebarri #food #steak · @ 0:00
Asador Etxebarri is the second best restaurant in the world, serving incredible dry-aged beef and high-quality seafood in a traditional, elegant setting.
Dishes mentioned
One Month Dry-Aged Galian Beef
I don't know what cattle they have access to, but this is some of the best tasting and highest quality beef I've ever had in my life. I actually just cut like butter. I'm getting emotional over this steak, to be honest. They don't ask you how you want it cooked — it comes the way the chef decides.
Spanish Palamos Prawns
The highest quality prawn in the entire world. Each prawn is almost $40. You suck the juice out of the head. M. That is unbelievable.
Spanish Seabream
They come tableside plated for you. It has the gelatin of the fish mixed with olive oil. M. Incredibly tender. And the olive oil sauce on top is amazing. I'm a very big fan of that.
Raw Hosito Chorizo
I've never seen raw pork on a menu before. Kind of scared the raw pork is going to like do something in my stomach later, but I guess that's a later problem cuz right now this is delicious.
Grilled Sea Urchin
We've had this dish like five times in Spain and I'm going to be honest, have not liked it once. M. This one is incredible. I really like that.
- Jack's Dining RoomLoved
Is This the Best Restaurant in the World? ($2,000 dinner!) · @ 0:00
This is one of the best dining experiences I've ever had, with the best steak of my life and incredible seafood, despite a couple of misses, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.
Dishes mentioned
Green Pea Broth
I love this glass for green pea broth. That's delicious. That's impressive to even make that taste good. It smells heavily like peas, but it doesn't taste too peasy for it.
Raw Chorizo with Crackers
Raw pork is a very interesting touch on a menu. I've never seen that one before. That oil dripping down looks really good. Wow. Really flavorful. And the cracker on the outside provides a nice crunch. As crazy as it sounds, this raw pork is phenomenal.
Anchovies on Tomato Jam
We have locally caught anchovies that they salt in-house on a tomato jam. That is a very intense anchovy, which I do like, but I could see this throwing a wrench in some people's meal for sure.
Goat Butter
I spent the last two years traveling around the world eating food. I have never seen goat butter at a restaurant in my entire life. Light, creamy, slight cheesy flavor. It doesn't have the heaviness of normal butter.
Palamos Prawn
We have Spanish Palamos prawn, which is the most expensive prawn in the world, and it has a super distinct red color. They work with local fishermen in Spain, and you can only catch a certain amount per year. It's a very highly regulated run because it's so rare. Now, there's a very specific way to eat this dish. You're supposed to tilt it upside down. All of the juice runs to the head, pull out the tail, and then you suck out all the juices from the head. And don't be shy. You want to make sure you suck it hard to get everything out. The juices are incredible. And there's so much meat that's in the head, too, that you need to bite off. Wow, that's phenomenal. Meat is so tender and juicy and it has a nice sweet flavor to it. That's definitely one of the best prawns I've had in my life.
