Sperber - Basel

I visit Basel half a dozen times a year. I stay at the Hotel Basel, which I adore for its location and its quality, and I stop in this bar every trip. What I en... read more I visit Basel half a dozen times a year. I stay at the Hotel Basel, which I adore for its location and its quality, and I stop in this bar every trip. What I enjoy most is it feels like a Swiss bar, and almost everyone in the place is local. The old stove with the hawk on top, the wood decor. But I have always been treated very well, never felt like an outsider, and I enjoy the bar snacks and just watching the people and having a beer. It is not a place to go to meet people or other tourists, but traveling all the time for work I am more than happy to just be left alone.At Christmas-time it is even better. Spalenberg a main walking path) is decorated with trees and lights, there are Christmas carolers on the corner by the hotel, it is a very cozy place to be if you aren't home during the season.The food looks good, though I have never eaten here. I generally am taking clients out for dinner and they are not near this location really.

My husband and I had our BA flight home from Basel cancelled after a lovely weekend in Strasbourg and Offenberg due to snow. We got ourselves booked into the No... read more My husband and I had our BA flight home from Basel cancelled after a lovely weekend in Strasbourg and Offenberg due to snow. We got ourselves booked into the Nomad hotel (very very good) and popped out to explore at 9pm. We knew finding a restaurant would be tricky on a Sunday night and so late, but Sperber and Hotel Basel were terrifically accommodating. We had a lovely table, super service and no pressure despite the relatively late hour (9.40 by the time we arrived after we'd admired the old town and closing Xmas marketplace) and the food was really tasty and high quality.We had pre dinner drinks, then went straight to a fish for me, guinea fowl for husband main, very nice indeed and great portion sizes. Lovely Picpoul wine to accompany too.Price very reasonable at around £100E mark for what was a charming end to our evening with lovely service and really good food. We'd highly recommend.

This is a great bar and restaurant, but we found that the bar staff had limited English. We tried our fractured German but it didn 't work. When I asked for a m... read more This is a great bar and restaurant, but we found that the bar staff had limited English. We tried our fractured German but it didn 't work. When I asked for a martini I got a martini on the rocks. The brand, Martini . I learned you need to ask for an American martini then they know what you 're talking about. Iff you decide to stay for dinner the waitstaff is wonderful especially Corinne. She has lived in the US and is totally bilingual in which we found such relief! She was funny and very helpful. The food was very German, including lots of schnitzel and sausages. Corinne made the experience wonderful for us.

Great food and service is excellent we really like the place for the food and the service. read more Great food and service is excellent we really like the place for the food and the service.

I have been here many times in the past, never had a bad meal so I went for lunch with my Kids and my Mum as we were in the area. And once again the food was de... read more I have been here many times in the past, never had a bad meal so I went for lunch with my Kids and my Mum as we were in the area. And once again the food was delicious, I had the Steak Tartare (and yes, we did order a bowl of their herby chips, too good not to) which was just available in small or large size (love it when restaurants offer half portions as so many tend to now serve huge meals). The others had Soup and Eglifilet, and everything was polished off. The kids even had space for a giant ice-cream, my Mum and I opted for the Tagesdessert (a small dessert that changes daily), a Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Chocolate, utterly perfect to end the meal with. The waiters were lovely and great with my 4-year old. Simple, good, old-fashioned, love it still.