Benjamin–Feir instability of nonlinear gravity–capillary waves is studied experimentally. The experimental results are compared with computations performed for values of wavelength and steepness identical to those employed in the experiments. The theoretical approach is based on the Zakharov nonlinear equation which is modified here to incorporate weak viscous dissipation. Experiments are performed in a wave ume which has an accurately controlled wavemaker for generation of the carrier wave, as well as an additional independent conical wavemaker for generation of controlled three-dimensional disturbances. The approach adopted in the present experimental investigation allows therefore the determination of the actual boundaries of the instability domain, and not just the most unstable disturbances. Instantaneous surface elevation measurements are performed with capacitance-type wave gauges. Multipoint measurements make it possible to determine the angular dependence of the amplitude of the forced and unforced disturbances, as well as their variation along the tank. The limits of the instability domains obtained experimentally for each set of carrier wave parameters agree favourably with those computed numerically using the model equation. The numerical study shows that application of the Zakharov equation, which is free of the narrow-band approximation adopted in the derivation of the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation, may lead to qualitatively different results regarding the stability of nonlinear gravity–capillary waves. The present experiments support the results of the numerical investigation.