Best for a serious steak splurgeWATTB86/100£££Basque-style asador (steakhouse)

Ibai

Our verdict · Arguably London's finest pure steak — deeply aged, Basque-style txuleta — but expensive, single-site and hard to book (closed Sundays).

Go if

You're a serious steak devotee who wants the best beef in London and will plan and pay for it.

Skip it if

You need a Sunday table, several branches to choose from, or a budget-friendly bill.

Plan your visit

Ibai

WATTB Score

86/ 100

Our research-based editorial assessment.

How we score →

Indicative: txuleta ~£115–£135 to share (two), grill dishes £24–£42; ~£80–£100pp

Indicative price at the time of review.

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Ibai is the purist's pick: a small Basque-style asador on Bartholomew Close serving txuleta cut from mature Galician cattle (its owners run the Galician-beef importer Txuleta), seared over embers; the style is prized for a mineral-rich, fatty character quite different from a young grass-fed British steak. It is ranked No. 7 in the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants 2026 — the highest-placed restaurant in the UK — which is why it sits here on quality despite the practical drawbacks. The signature txuleta is priced by weight and typically shared, indicatively around £115–£135 for two, with grill dishes roughly £24–£42 and starters £10–£28, so a full meal lands near £80–£100pp. The catch is access: it's a single site, open Monday to Saturday, midday to 10pm (closed Sundays), and popular slots go weeks ahead. Versus Hawksmoor, you get a more singular, world-ranked steak; you give up branches, easy booking and value.

The good & the bad

Pros

Txuleta widely rated among the best steak in London — No. 7 in the World's 101 Best 2026
Distinctive, mineral-rich beef you won't find at the British-steakhouse rivals
Serious, focused kitchen for a genuine steak occasion

Cons

Expensive, and the headline txuleta is really a sharing cut for two
One location, closed Sundays, and books up well in advance

How it compares

Pick	WATTB Score	Price	Best for
1.Hawksmoor	91/100	Indicative ~£70–£90pp à la carte; set/sharing menus from ~£65pp	overall
2.Blacklock	88/100	Indicative ~£28pp for the 'All In'; ~£35–£45pp with drinks	value and for groups
3.Goodman	87/100	Indicative steaks ~£36–£55; ~£70–£90pp with sides and drinks	steak connoisseurs
4.IbaiThis pick	86/100	Indicative: txuleta ~£115–£135 to share (two), grill dishes £24–£42; ~£80–£100pp	a serious steak splurge
5.Flat Iron	82/100	Indicative: signature flat iron £15; specials ~£15–£25; ~£25–£30pp with sides	budget steak

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Good to know

4.5 ★Google · 795 reviews££££

Address: 90 Bartholomew Cl, London EC1A 7BN
Nearest station: Barbican / Farringdon
Phone: +44 20 4597 3821
Price: Indicative: txuleta ~£115–£135 to share (two), grill dishes £24–£42; ~£80–£100pp
Beef: Txuleta from mature Galician cattle, aged
Cooking: Seared over embers (Basque-style asador)
Ranking: No. 7, World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants 2026
Indicative spend: Txuleta ~£115–£135 to share; ~£80–£100pp
Booking: One site, Mon–Sat (closed Sun); book well ahead