Hi, I'm new to the forum but for the past 3 or so years I've been travelling a fair based purely on restaurants where I can get reservations. In that time, I've managed to eat at restaurants with a combined total of around 70 stars (which is just about all poor wallet could take!) including restaurants like Osteria Francescana, Noma (both original and 2.0).

As this is my first post here I thought I'd just do a quick little comparison of the 3* restaurants in San Sebastian (unfortunately, I was unable to get reservations at Mugaritz, Extebarri, Elkano or Ibai for this trip - ah well, maybe another time!). These were from a trip I took towards the tail end of 2016

Azurmendi - Whimsical, fun cooking, especially at the beginning of the meal when you are led into a greenhouse where amouse bouches are disguised to look like natural objects

Martin Berasategui - Excellent cooking, and in terms of pure flavour probably my favourite, with

Arzak - despite the , I was rather underwhelmed by the meal I had here. The cooking was just competent, and lacked a certain 'wow' factor

Akelare - possibly the worst 3* meal I have ever had, disappointing flavours, and rather lacklustre service, something I don't expect to see in a 3* restaurant.

Not a michelin starred restaurant, but I had the best steak and best spanish omelette I have ever had at Bar Nestor (a friend of mine who had managed to go to Extebarri also preferred the steak at Nestor). The omelette, slightly gooey in the middle is well worth the queue to pre-order.

If anyone wants particular pictures I can see if I can dig them out