This is for me the best basque restaurant in Madrid. Lived there for 16 years and you can't find a…read morebetter leg of lam than here!!!

Yum! Fancy quiet place in a quiet part of town. I'm just a tourist and know nothing about Spanish…read morefoods, but my impression is that their menu is of classic authentic dishes and their kitchen does them well -- as opposed to restaurants that feels the need to innovate. My 2 friends and I had a great time. We spent a lot because we ordered wine and a lot of food. The wait staff were great with their recommendations for dishes from the Basque region.

Popped in for a quick standing tapas lunch at around noon. It happened to be Spanish mother's day…read moreand they hooked me up with a red carnation, swoon. A nice sized bar and plenty of tables in the front and back area. Tapas all are 2.5 euro. We sampled a bunch and they were all great. Pretty simple, but fresh and delicious. A high five to the thinly pounded, breaded and fried mushroom that was delectable. Their spanish tortilla was mainly egg based vs potato and was a little runny, I was into it. Small beers happened to be 2.5 euros as well, so it was a cheap, filling, delicious and quick lunch! I'd 100% come again and def recommend!

Spectacular food and service! Will return! This was a nice surprise after having walked for hors…read moretrying to find a place that was on my list to try.

Excellent ate in the bar area quiet with charming server…read more Champagne served with olive anchovy screwers, Shrimp croquettes, delicious salad with walnuts, raisins, excellent dressing and HAKE fish with spinach. Grilled peppers as side dish. Drank great tempranillo wine

Okay food, but in Madrid there's so many better options. Our hotel concierge sent us here, as soon…read moreas we arrived the place was fairly empty (bad sign) and they gave us wine "as guests of the hotel" (another sign of commission/incentives to send people here vs. recommend actually great local spots). The food was fine, ordered half the menu. Nothing stood out, bread was okay. Do yourself a favor and find some better local spots, it's not worth the price nor the meal. This city has some amazing food nearby.

Amazing service and food. Authentic Spanish dinner. Busy but friendly…read more Sit on the second floor for late dining.

One of many branches, El Pimiento Verde on Calle de Castelló is a nicer restaurant for which you'll…read morewant to make a reservation ahead of time. With a decently sized menu, there will be no shortage of dishes to try. We elected to go for some Spanish classics and their featured dishes, which included their Creamy Rice with Lobster, Traditional Tripe Stew, and Aged Beer Rib-eye. The creamy rice with lobster is essentially a risotto, with the rice being cooked al dente. While the texture is nice, because of the smaller portion of lobster and the lack of flavor, by the end it feels like you're just left with a bowl of undercooked rice. The traditional tripe stew was quite good, with the beef being extremely tender and chewy. The rib-eye itself was a large cut, however, a good portion of the meat is fat. Additionally, it's only seasoned with a light touch of salt, so at the end of the day also lacking a bit. If you want to come to El Pimiento Verde, it's primarily for the ambience. The food itself is fine, though nothing to call home about. If you're short on time and looking for places to experience Spanish cuisine, this is probably one restaurant that can be skipped.

Loved my dining experience here. It's such a cozy restaurant and is perfect for a dinner with…read morefamily, a date, or a fancy dinner with colleagues. Reservations are recommended because they tend to get busy. We were a party of three. We got the ensaladilla rusa, carabineros ajillo, and the chuleton. Everything was delicious. I especially enjoyed the meat. It was seared to perfection on the hot cast iron plate on our table. Minimally seasoned, it tasted really delicious and we could tell the meat was high quality. I also liked the other dishes we ordered. We got bread at the table and at the end of the meal, we got small desserts and glasses of what tasted like frozen lemonade. The waiter told us those were good for digestion. Loved my experience here and I recommend this place!

Mesón Txistu (pronounced, meh-zan CHEE-stoo) is a Basque-inspired restaurant and Real Madrid…read morehangout of legends, past and present. On any given night you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with both sporting and pop-culture icons. Opening its doors in 1972, the restaurant's see-and-be-seen scene has become Madrid lore. It has become an institution revered for delectable kitchen offerings, a prolific collection of wines, and impeccable service. One of Mesón Txistu's hallowed passageways is lined with a photo galaxy of Real Madrid stars, including: Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Luca Modrić, Roberto Carlos, Hugo Sánchez, and Raúl. Scattered amongst these portraits are those of other global sports heroes such as, Diego Maradona, Pele, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Pau Gasol. Yet alongside those are even more: A-Listers of cinema like, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, and Salma Hayek. It's immediately clear that Mesón Txistu holds a special status in Madrid. There are few places capable of attracting such an illustrious crowd from both sporting and entertain- ment worlds. This restaurant is a Spanish treasure, tucked just beyond the shadows of the Santiago Bernabéu. Through still another passage, one is greeted by a bar adorned with legs of jamón ibérico, hanging from hooks around its entire perimeter. It serves as a visual invitation to savor something exceptional-- tempting you to sample the cured delicacy if so inclined. My wife and I chose seats at the bar to begin the evening's delights. She ordered a sensational glass of the House red. Being a lover of exceptional whiskies, I started with Lagavulin 16. Both selections proved foundational to the savory joys that would follow. Our expert bartender presented us with an intimate plate of complimentary tapas, including locally sourced and just-right-brined olives. The tapas brilliantly punctuated the start of an unforgettable meal. Exceptionally generous pours soon arrived. Hers in an exquisite crystal stem and mine, properly neat. After a few sips, our host arrived to join us for a cocktail. We were warmly welcomed by the Manager, who then personally escorted us to our table. Seated, we were then greeted with a double amuse-bouche. One presentation held guindillas-- tangy green peppers from the Basque region. Immaculately pickled, they gave us a curious "kick". The second featured chistorra, a Basque-cured sausage fried to perfection with a gentle measure of smoked paprika. Each was precisely on-point. So good in fact, I could have savored a platter without hesitation. The first appetizer to arrive was a hearty salad meant to be shared among the four of us. It was accompanied by beautiful cuts of fresh tuna paired with large slices of farm-fresh tomatoes. Simple. Delicious. Magnificently executed. Our host ordered bottles of Alión 2021 Ribera del Duero for the table. A refreshing, tantalizing red, it opened with a fruity aroma, yet carried with cleanly balanced spiced wood notes. It was an outstanding selection. (Later that night, curiosity got the better of me and I looked it up. Not surprisingly, the wine achieved mid-to-upper 90s ratings across multiple publications.) Next came the Gambas al Ajillo. These plump, finely garlicked shrimp are served sizzling in a traditional clay dish. Rich, aromatic, and deeply satisfying, they immediately reminded me of the signature dish at La Casa del Abuelo, located between the Sol and Barrio de las Letras neighborhoods. Our third appetizer, substantial enough to be a main course on its own, was the Pulpo a la Brasa: fresh-grilled octopus served atop hearty papas. The octopus was wonderfully rustic, expertly seasoned, and succulent. When I see octopus on a menu, I order it. This, because the dish tests any chef's command of instincts and technique. Mesón Txistu passed with aplomb. The highlight of the evening was the main course: Chuletón Txistu. These rich, buttery-tender ribeye strips arrive thinly-sliced, seasoned only with large, glistening flakes of imported sea salt. Doing so allows the meat to take center stage, as it should. A table-top flat grill plate allows guests to custom cook the protein to their liking. Thusly, the experience becomes interactive as each finishes his or her strips to varying degrees of doneness. It takes only moments, especially if one enjoys ribeye medium-rare, as I do. The strips were astonishingly tender. Each bite, phenomenal. Chuletón Txistu rivals the full-bodied richness of Japanese Wagyu. Even at this stage of our meal we savored every morsel. Smiles crossed our faces out of equal parts appreciation for the dinner, and gratitude for the shared moment. The wine, the company, and conversation-- all entwined with an atmosphere of country elegance-- assured an unforgettable experience. Recalling it now feels distinctly Madrileño. We look forward to our return someday. Until then...

A long layover meant I got to swing by Calle Ponzano on a quiet weekday. I'd read that Arima had…read moregood pintxos and that was enough to get me in the door. Ordered a glass of txakoli, plus several small plates. The croquetas de chorizo were perfectly smokey crispy-creamy bites. The buñuelo, a sweet piquillo pepper stuffed with a ground beef sauce then battered and fried, would've been great even without the dough which dulled the flavors a bit. The lechuga batavia, giant bowl of lettuce and sliced onions in a vinaigrette, was nothing out of this world but the acidity was a welcome shift from the fried foods. The briotxe de pastrami was delicious---the toasted brioche and pull-apart pastrami were an excellent match. I only wish there had been less tartar sauce drizzled on top since the pastrami and buttery brioche were rich enough on their own. Overall, the pintxos were great and I'm looking forward to trying more of the menu next time I'm in the city.

If you're a regular vermouth connoisseur you'll love the variety. If you've never had one, this…read morewould be a great place to start. Food was ridiculously good. Basque style menu, excellent raw materials and simple preparation that allows the food to shine for itself. Waiting staff helped us to navigate with regards to portion sizes in order to avert a disaster.

Me and my boyfriend discovered sagaretxe through the fork app we were looking for somewhere to eat…read moretypical Spanish cuisine while in Madrid. We made reservations for 9 had to wait a bit since we arrived a bit early the dinning area did not open till then, since it is custom for everyone to have late dinners in Spain. We had sangrias while we waited. They quickly sat us. Spanish is my first language but the menu had terms I was not familiar with so I asked our waiter for assistance and he gladly helped we knew we wanted cod fish croquetas so we asked for those and some iberic ham, got that as well we told him we wanted to share some beef so he recommended the solomillo and we got some fries to accompany it. No if you've never been to Spain all there red meet is cooked rare. But they can cook it for you a bit more if you've never wish. The waiter wanted to let us know that he would take some pcs and cook them more for me if I wanted since I told him I did not like my meat to bloody lol he said he wanted to make sure I left happy. I told him I'd let him know. The croquetas came out. And omg they were so crispy on the outside and the fish on the inside was so soft it was not overly salted they were cooked to perfection. The ham was delicious my boyfriend had never had it very soft kind of salt and peppery flavor. The meat and fries came it was definitely very buffet for my boyfriend the meat was red but very soft and tender it was lightly salted we agreed it could have had more salt but we still ate it. The fries were thick cut and golden yellow on the outside and soft on the inside. All in all I think it was a good 8 out of 10. To end the night we had rice pudding ( arroz con leche) and expresso. it was a bit watery for me and I think it could of use more cinnamon I'm very familiar with the dessert since my mom would always make it. All in all I do recommend you come to sagaretxe if you want a nice dinner and drinks and typical Spanish food.

We enjoyed talking to our waiter and sampling the menu. We will be back another nightread more

Came without a reservation and the staff was welcoming! Tried the prawns, breaded cod, and quail…read moredrumettes with a glass of cava. All excellent. Service was excellent and the ambience was moderately noisy with what you would expect in a typical restaurant environment. Highly recommend.

I'm now a fan of lean cut steak, medium rare. Being an American I always think you have order…read moreribeye or some fat marbled derivation. Not so, if you order the sirloin offering at Zerain. Everything was delicious from the white asparagus to the Cardenal brandy, served after dessert. White tablecloths and impeccable service made the visit a high point of our stay in Madrid.

Famtastic, since the first time I stepped into this place in 2019. Decorated very chic, and the…read morestaff are dressed like architects almost. Veggies are flawless, and so is the meat. We had artichokes, asparagus, leeks, green beens, anchovies, tomatoes, txistorra, solomillo, chuleta, cochinillo, alubias, torrija, arroz con leche and tarta de queso. All of it impeccable.

Delicious food! The best torreja in all Madrid! Excellent service, we felt like home. The owners…read moreare welcoming people, and it was the most amazing experience! Do you a favor, and visit this place! If you found yourself exploring Madrid, this is the place you can't miss!

The Tortilla Trufada? Extraordinary! The croquetas? Spectacular. The Rabo? Quite possibly one of…read morethe best I've ever had. Everything we had was delicious and well priced. Our entire family loved it, kids and adults alike.

Stopped by for some tapas and wine. Wine was a typical rioja very light and easy to drink. The…read moretapas were chorizo,poblano on a cracker and also aioli potatos which were very good! We were on a food tour and this was the first stop. Would go back to try other items on the menu!