Another historical pintxo bar, Restaurante Víctor Montes holds one of the most enviable situations (and reputations) in Bilbao, positioned right on the Plaza Nueva in the old quarter. Built way back in 1849, over the years Víctor Montes has numbered artists, film stars and statesmen among its clients. Settled sleepily underneath the stone arches on the terrace or seated inside the bar mingling with its buzzing clientele, you can enjoy and even take home a variety of excellent Iberian snacks from the lavish deli counter inside.

La Viña has a gourmet shop, but it is not only dedicated to the wine, and Victor Montes has an impressive array of wines, but they only send wine to very VIP customers.

The 1849-built Victor Montes attracts numerous luminaries but locals also appreciate its exquisite gilding, marble and frescoes, 1000-strong wine list and…

The historic Víctor Montes boasts a highly-recommended bar groaning with the most traditional of pintxos. Santa Maria (Santa María 18), a typical tavern with decor from the 60s, specialising in liver pâté pintxos with caramelised apple, Irrintzi (Santa María 8) with its modern pintxos, Berton (Jardines 11) and Sasibil (Jardines 8), both on the Calle Jardines and both offering excellent pintxos and wines; the tavern Askao Berri (Askao 5), famous for its snacks on bread known as Traineras and Txapelas, and Gatz (Santa María 10), where you can try black pudding omelette, are other unmissable stops on this gastronomic tour. On the other side of the estuary in old Bilbao you’ll find the area around the Marzana dock, with several establishments where you can taste the finest pintxos.

Try crab tempura at Gure-Toki 00 34 944 158 037, guretoki.com and salty cod at Casa Victor Montes 00 34 944 157 067, victormontes.com or tangy goat’s cheese in manzanilla sherry at Café Bar Bilbao 00 34 944 151 671, bilbao-cafebar.com which was founded in 1911. Most of the ingredients come from Mercado de la Ribera lariberabilbao.com which has been the beating heart of Bilbao’s food scene since it opened in 1929. Rove its three floors, sampling charcuteria as you go, then chat with local farmers over a glass of txakoli, the slightly fizzy local white, at one of the low-key wine bars.

En annen historisk pintxo bar, Restaurante Víctor Montes, har en av de mest misunnelsesverdige situasjonene (og omdømmelsene) i Bilbao, plassert rett på Plaza Nueva i gamle kvartal. Bygget vei tilbake i 1849, gjennom årene har Víctor Montes nummerert artister, filmstjerner og statsmenn blant sine kunder. Sett seg søvnig under steinbuene på terrassen eller sittende inne i baren som mingler med sin summende klientell, kan du nyte og til og med ta med deg en rekke utmerkede iberiske snacks fra den overdådige delikatessen inne.

Welcome to Bilbao, where you'll come across the infamous Victor Montes, the resident Michelin-starred chef with a flamboyant personality that could rival the flashy Guggenheim Museum. With a mustache that seems to possess magical culinary powers, Victor Montes can be spotted from a mile away, striding through the streets like a food-conquering superhero. Don't be alarmed if you catch him whispering sweet nothings to his beloved pintxos – his passion for these Basque tapas is as intense as the local red wine.

Victor Montes is one of the most popular spots in Bilbao – which means you’ll need to reserve (quite possibly weeks) in advance. But it also means that you can look forward to dishes made with the most distinguished local and imported produce, like acorn-fed Ibérico ham, Arbequina caviar, and Norwegian salmon dusted with gold powder. Book a table in their upstairs dining room if you can – it comes with views of the Neoclassical Plaza Nueva and a 150 year old wine and whisky collection for scenery.

Once upon a time, well, in 1849 to be more precise, this was a gourmet grocer’s shop, but over the course of the last century it has become one of the most outstanding restaurants serving traditional Basque cuisine. Today, using only products of the highest quality, its menu combines the best of our gastronomy with that of the rest of the world. Its façade, its bar, its dining room, its collection of wines and spirits, its pintxos… everything is unique and exudes authenticity.

Victor Montes – located in the Plaza Nueva (‘new square’ and paradoxically one of the oldest squares in town) is recognized as one of the best pincho bars in the whole town. The pintxos on the counter are all beautifully presented and you can also book a table for an evening meal but we would recommend the smoked swordfish, their tuna’s ventresca (the juiciest part of the tuna) with anchovies and vinaigrette and their courgette pincho with salmon sauce and fresh cheese.

El Víctor Montes es un pedacito de historia de Bilbao, uno de los bares con más solera de la ciudad. Las opiniones sobre él pueden ser muy variadas, para muchos bilbaínos desde que cambió de manos en 2016 ha perdido autenticidad al buscar una cocina más sofisticada, pero lo que no se puede negar es que tiene una de las barras de pintxos más espectaculares de Bilbao. Y sean locales o turistas, el caso es que cada día conquista nuevos paladares.

Since 1849 history and quality; one of the oldest places of the city and historical part of Bilbao, our facade is historical patrimony of Bilbao and in one of our tables the treaty of the Guggenheim was signed with Frank Ghery as protagonist, we began like gourmet store and that spirit has stayed in the restaurant like our sign of identity. Kitchen open all day. 944 157 067 | Plaza Nueva 8

If we are talking about tradition and history, the Víctor Montes Restaurant could not be missing. Although it started out as a grocer's shop open since 1849, fate had in store for it the surprise of becoming an emblem of the city. Its façade and interior, escorted by its bottles of wine, cognac and whiskey, tell the history of Bilbao and serve unique national and international products.

Victor Montes is a beloved restaurant in Bilbao that is known for its delicious Basque cuisine and warm, inviting atmosphere. Situated in the heart of the city, this family-run establishment has been serving locals and visitors alike for over 70 years. When you step into Victor Montes, you are immediately greeted by friendly staff and a cozy ambiance that makes you feel right at home.

Het terras van restaurant Victor Montes is een lekker plekje gelegen aan het traditionele Plaza Nueva!. Het restaurantterras is een mix van modern en traditioneel en er hangt een ontspannen sfeertje. Je kunt hier eventjes lekker ontspannen, de ogen en voetjes laten rusten terwijl je geniet van hun grote specialiteit: de beroemde Baskische pintxos!

This restaurant is located in the popular Nueva Plaza in Bilbao. It stands out among the many restaurants in Bilbao for the wide range of menus they offer: a traditional menu, a daily menu, samplings, the house special and the Víctor menu. Among their specialties we recommend the cod pil-pil served as the classic casserole dish with garlic.

Victor Montes is one of Bilbao’s landmarks and one of the best restaurants to savour traditional dishes from the Bay of Biscay. Located in Plaza Nueva, it is a great destination for lunch and dinner. Book a table in advance and sit down in the small dining room (downstairs or upstairs) surrounded by bottles of the world’s best whisky.

Definitely on the more pricier side, the restaurant has an impressive wine, whisky and cognac list and a spectacular dining room. We stayed at the bar, had a few drinks and some pintxhos from the counter. But once you’re in, take a tour of the dining room and aslo go upstairs to see an impressive gallery of famoust past visitors.

These are top-ten best pintxos bars in our city for this pretigious newspaper … pay attention to this valuable piece of advice: Huevo Frito, Peso Neto, El Globo, Viña del Ensanche, Gure Toki, Víctor Montes, Iruña, Baster, Eme, Café Antzoki. They are only 10 good reasons to visit us, come and discover more!

Victor Montes, Plaza Nueva 8: If you want great food and atmosphere, this is the place. Located on a wonderful square in the old town this is restaurant, bar and outside café. I loved the bar for lunch and sampled six of the huge selection of pinxtos including, those featuring crab, quail and Iberian ham.

My favorite meal was at Victor Montes (click here for more information), and I just served myself at the bar. To be fair, they have a full restaurant, but I didn’t feel like sitting down for a proper meal. Additionally, there is usually a menu with more high-end dishes, but you have to ask for it.

Once you stumble into Plaza Nueva, it’s hard to miss Victor Montes, which dominates the plaza with tables in good weather and has plenty of indoor seating in three packed dining rooms in back. And those are just for the sit-down diners, who swarm in for home-cooking favorites like…

Here you'll find two of the most emblematic "pintxos" bars in Bilbao: Café Bilbao and Víctor Montes. Both have outdoor seating where you order pintxos (though the prices are slightly higher). In any case, check out the interiors as well, as both restaurants have a lot of character.

Victor Montes has some of the fanciest pintxos in Bilbao, along with a massive wine list. The focus at the brightly-lit Victor Montes, which has been open since 1849, is on meat & seafood items, but you’ll find more as well. Everything was fresh & ready first thing in the morning.

Victor Montes is a cafe / restaurant located on the Plaza Nueva in the heart of the old Town (Casco Viejo). The place is well known for its excellent tapas (pintxos) and its collection of empty bottles that decorate the shelves. Plaza Nueva, 8 Casco Viejo, Bilbao tel: 944 157 067

I like Irrintzi Bar, Victor Montes and Berton in the old town. You can walk from one to the other, then to Ambigú, a small bar and restaurant owned by two brothers where the underground Bilbao goes for beers. The menu for lunch is good and cheap, by the way.

We had a couple of other drinks in Plaza Nueva, including a couple of txakolis – served in plastic cups – at Victor Montes. I guess the plaza gets hit with a lot of broken glass. The bar was very old school grand and had black and white floor tiles.

Last on our list of the best restaurants in Bilbao is Víctor Montes. Located in the historic Plaza Nueva, Victor Montes is a popular choice for those looking to enjoy classic Basque dishes in a lively and traditional setting.

Description: A historic tavern in Plaza Nueva, serving refined pintxos and classic dishes like bacalao al pil-pil. The wooden bar and vintage decor add charm. Signature Dishes: Bacalao with garlic, txuleta (T-bone steak).

Originally built in 1879, inside you can feel the history of the Basque people. Victor Montes offers a delicious selection of pintxos to enjoy while watching the world go by from terraces looking down on the Plaza Nueva.

Monday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM, Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM, Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM, Thursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM, Friday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Saturday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Sunday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM

Enjoy a selection of tapas in the open air beneath the arches of the Plaza Nueva at Victor Montes. It is one of many pinxto bars in the Casco Viejo (old quarter).

Sure, I could tell you to visit famous Bilbao institutions like Gure Toki or Victor Montes but you could find them simply by Googling “best pintxo bars in Bilbao.

De entre todos ellos hemos querido hacer una mención especial a Victor Montes, uno de los establecimientos más emblemáticos de toda la villa.

Under one of the arches, your eye will be caught by the most elegant, historical, and beautiful bar/restaurant of them all, Victor Montes.

It has a lovely location in a square (across from Victor below), ideal for kids to have a run around while you eat.