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Casa Julián was probably the best lunch I’ve ever had in my life.
The expectations were sky-high. It was one of the first reservations I made when planning the trip, and somehow it still exceeded them. And for anyone overthinking the logistics: just take the train from San Sebastián. It’s super easy. Some reviews make getting there sound like an expedition for absolutely no reason.
Casa Julián is famous for beef, and the steak was incredible. We had the money seat in the house, right next to the grill, close enough to hear the fat crackle, the salt spill onto the floor, and smell the sizzlign steaks. A massive stack of beef sat beside us for lunch service, all deep red meat with beautiful yellow fat. It was primal, theatrical, and exactly what you want from a place like this.
But the vegetables were what made the meal extraordinary.
We ordered basically every seasonal vegetable they had, and every one was perfect. I’m picky about vegetables, and these were treated with the same seriousness and precision as the beef. The white asparagus was sublime. The leeks were rich and sweet, almost like French onion soup in vegetable form. The red peppers had charred, crispy edges and deep sweetness at the center. The artichoke was tender, earthy, and beautifully simple. Nothing felt like a side dish. Each plate had its own reason to exist.
The room itself feels untouched since 1951: dark wood, dim light, old bottles lining the shelves, giant steaks by the entrance, a little dust in the corners. Not staged. Not precious. Just alive with history. The service was excellent, and having Château Margaux by the glass at lunch felt almost absurd.
Everything was a 10 out of 10. I left thinking, yeah, that was the greatest lunch I’ve ever had. Casa Julián completely lives up to the hype. World class.
