We were walking back to our hotel one evening and realized bodega de la Ardosa was nearby. We had it in our list to try but had just finished dinner at another tapas spot so saved it for a different night. I don't eat olives unless I'm in Spain, I don't really like olives at all but for some reason when I'm abroad I can stomach green olives and eat several. Theirs were yummy. The Spanish tortilla and artichoke were my fav! I could have ordered two of each. We had a glass of wine and a few tasty plates and were all set. This place is bustling in a great way! Highly recommend. Bar service was great! read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

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Perfect little stop for vermouth. Cozy, warm vibe with dim lighting and a lively crowd. Small space but super inviting, and the prices are great. read more

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Just a great spot. There isn't a ton of room. The tortilla here is delicious and a must have. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Tortilla de patata - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

While the entire nation is on a makeshift or formal vacation, some keep working their butt off in an effort to make ends meet. One such individual is warm and cordial Miguel who was very patient with all my questions as I was getting tired of trying the same tapas over and over again. The bonito escabeche was stunning and the anchovies were the best I've tasted as they were enormous, drabbed in a little vinegar, not drenched in oil and never overly salty given their optimal quality. The croquettes were also innovative and not overly fried. Actually they came across as being baked even though that was not the case. read more

This is a great place for those impervious to urine vapes croquetas de bacalao sans bacalao a tortilla española that isnt one of the best Madrid has to offer as the post promised and waiting staff that will be waiting but not for you read more

Excellent place, the best tortilla in Madrid (which is saying a lot), and the croquettes are breathtaking.

This is a very cool, cozy, kind of funky tapas bar. If you're staying nearby, it's definitely worth your time. We especially liked having to crawl under the bar to get to our back room table. read more

I saw this on Anthony Boutdain's no reservations show and thought I'd try to check it out. The Experience was very special and really think you should check this place out of you want to try something unique. The food is outstanding and the drinks are legendary. read more

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We stopped in Bodega de la Ardosa on a whim. We're glad we did. It was about 4:00 pm on a Thursday. In the front seating area, there was plenty of space to stand around and a couple of places to sit. Perhaps this is the perfect time of day/week to visit, as it's apparently very busy later at night. I don't have a lot to report here, as my partner and I only enjoyed one canya and one vermut de la casa. But the atmosphere was so pleasant, and the staff was unassuming, and committed to making sure every patron was taken care of, I just have to recommend this little authentic corner of the city. One member of the staff brought me a stool without being prompted in any way. He did it in a very unassuming way, devoid of expectation for gratitude. An interesting observation: I believe there is a rear seating area patrons can access by actually ducking behind the bar and walking deeper into the space. It was one of the most curious things I've ever seen. People just came in, passed right on to the bar, went underneath, and disappeared to I know not where. It seemed like that's where the restrooms were, too. This seemed to me a very nice, authentic place to have vermut on tap! The vermuth is stored in a really cool, tall urn equipped with little spigots. Quite pretty! read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Vermut de la casa on "tap" - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

Such a fun traditional Spanish restaurant! This is a great place to experience if you want to know where the madrileños go! What we ordered: after we crawled under the bar to get to the other side (lol) we started off with two glasses of tinto de verano, mixed croquettes, and tortilla española. All of it was very good, especially the tortilla because sometimes they seriously lack flavor. None of it blew me away, but it was good! Beware- this place gets PACKED some nights so maybe for the first time go on a week day. Also note- you need to spend more than 30€ if you're paying with card! read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Mixed croquettes and tortilla española - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

Phenomenal bar and tapas! Such a cool atmosphere. The tortilla de patata is the BEST in Madrid imho-perfectly cooked outside and gooey inside the way it should be. Don't sleep on the salmorejo either it's so flavorful, creamy, and loaded with toppings-perfect for with your drinks. Atmosphere is really cool, they have a great variety of drinks including beers, and their tapas are out of this world-gets really busy on weekends for good reason! read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Salmorejo! Get it! - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

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This was the worst restaurant experience I had in all of Spain. Maybe in all of my life. Our waiter was so incredibly rude. We asked to order a dish and he just said "no". No explanation? Fine if you ran out but just rolling your eyes and yelling "no" at your customers is not okay. He also made fun of my partner for asking questions about the menu to his coworkers in Spanish. Which we understand. Sticky, dirty floors. Food wasn't even that special. I don't know how this place has such good reviews. Oh wait! They're all years old. They'll probably delete my review as well since it's negative. Go literally anywhere else. read more

Probably my favorite restaurant in Madrid. Their Spanish omelette's probably the best I've had in Spain so far. Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelette) = Hands down the star dish of this place!!! After trying their version, you can never see a Spanish omelette the same way again. Their dish's a lot saucier than normal. The potato's a bit softer due to the sauce but it still maintain some crispiness. Due to this, it has to be consumed right away before it got soggy. This is a MUST TRY! Cuttlefish Croquettes with Black Squid Ink = So crunchy. The cuttle fish bits make it a bit chewy. They're not fishy despite the squid ink. This dish's already super good as it is but there's the optional tartar sauce if you want dipping sauce. They're probably one of the top croquettes I've tried so far in my Spain trip. Foie Gras Black Pudding = Decent; Not as irony as I thought. I've tried quite a bit of black pudding in Spain, but this is 1 of the better ones. The aftertaste is strong, so this dish might not be for everyone. A decent dish. Anchovy with Tomato Jam & Pedro Ximinez White Wine sauce = Decent. Another strong flavored dish as the Anchovy is very salty, the jam's very sweet and the sourness from their sauce. Chatka (Canape with Russian King Crab) = It's a decent dish probably because it's the sauce's creamy and sweet for me. They are very generous with the crab meat though. Tintos de Verano (Soda + Red Wine) = Just ok, I've had better. read more

This well know Bodega in Madrid is a must try when in the city. If you can, I would suggest to go early because this place is packed every night. It is common to see a line to get in. The food is good with a wide variety of local dishes. And their Vermut is a must have. It's worth going for the ambiance and lovely old interior. This is a typical Bodega so please don't expect high end service. The waiters are just too busy serving the many guests as fast as they can. Take note that behind the bar, there is another small room where you need to pass under the counter to access it. read more

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Vibrant little bodega with nice beers, good party wines, and yum tapas. This is a great hang spot to meet friends and chill for the afternoon. Fun traffic going by, good prices, and a romantic, historical vibe. Ace. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Bustling spot for drinks and good company - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

Great Drinks and Tapas spot! I went here for drinks before a night out at the bars and was really happy that I did. This standing only bar has cheap drinks and one of the best tortillas I had in all of my travels in Spain. The bar has only has a few tables in the front and a long bar and there is a back standing area underneath the right side of the bar which is like a hidden area. The bar has bottles from the floor to ceiling and is just a cool local spot. For a quick bite and cheap drinks this is your spot before a night out! In short: - Cheap Drinks - Amazing Tortilla - Good food - Nice bartenders read more

This place is full of chill vibes First, I really loved the decor of Bodega de la Ardosa because of the dark, smokey vibe . . . although there was no cigar or cigarette smoke (unfortunately). Our party arrived pretty late in the evening, but this restaurant/bar seems like a good place to meet up with some friends and chill or go to another place. We were lucky that the atmosphere was pretty tame; I believe there were about 6 or so other people at the bar. The service was ok - it was not horrible but it was not amazing. I think the bartenders were a little tired because it was towards the end of the night. The drinks are pretty well-priced. If I were to return to Madrid, I'd definitely grab a drink or four at Bodega de la Ardosa. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

The Bodega is a very popular spot in Malasana. If you come by on a weekend you'll likely see a line to get in. Tip: There is an area in front of the bar and an area behind the bar. To access the area behind the bar you literally have to duck under the bar and walk behind it. The front area is great to grab a few drinks and tapas. They are famous for their tortilla and it is quite good - in fact, all of the food is pretty good. The service may or may not be good, I've experienced both. Another tip: The place directly to the left of the Bodega utilizes the exact same kitchen. You can see a hole in the wall behind the bar where they pass the food through. So if it's too busy here, go there! read more

BEST. TORTILLA. DE. PATATAS. EVER. But shhhhh don't tell my mom I said that. For real tho, it's near perfection. And that's saying a lot--the Spanish are very serious about this dish. It may seem simple (eggs, onions, potatoes) but you'll see as you work your way across Spain, or even a single street in Madrid, that no tortilla is the same. Egg to potato ratio. Cook of the interior (from runny to more firm). Potato prep (cubed or sliced/fried before or not/etc). A lot of places make them in advance and then slice to order (which is totally fine, as tortilla is actually really good at room temp or cold), but Bodega de la Ardosa makes them super fresh to order...probably because they do it at such a high volume but also cuz they make theirs a little more runny in the middle. Totes my jam. They season it perfectly and serve it with rustic bread. So good. Soooo order the tortilla de patatas, some croquetas, and down it all with some vermouth. Expect a crowd--mostly locals with a few tourists mixed in. If it's too packed in the front, there's a back area where you have to legit crawl under the bar to get to. I hit my head but fully worth it. This place is the life. I told my wife that if we lived in this part of Madrid, I'd eat lunch here twice a week no problem. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - this is life - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

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Came across this place, supposed to be very old. The place is divided by two parts by the bar. The entire place is very small and very limited seats and table, a lot of people standing around to eat. Behind the bar there's another small room before the kitchen that has 3 tables. But you have go under the bar to across to the other side, kinds odd but kinda cool. The service is a bit slow I guess its normal. And limited English, but they are still trying hard to help. They do have English menu some doesn't make much sense but you can get by. Dishes are not very good portion but Spanish people don't eat much so it's not that bad. I ordered one starter and one beef tripe stew with some complimentary bread and it was good amount for one person. Price range is around 11€ for main and €3 for small They have some beer options, I had IPA which they pronounce literately ipa. Took me a while to realize what they are saying read more

It's a must to go place in Madrid, besides been historic. The cod fish croquettes (buñuelos de bacalao), rabo de toro croquetas, potato salad, and the brandies. Don't forget to ask for the tinto de verano. read more

An extremely friendly place with great drinks and delicious tapas along with an "Old Madrid" type of atmosphere about it. It really makes you feel like you are in the Old World and, of course you when here, you are, and in the very heart of it. It's just a great place to sit around, chat, meet fellow travelers and meet local or world traveling friends. As might be noted, it's extremely popular with the Yelp community, which is a big plus for me because if you want to speak with knowledgeable people who generally know where everything is or what to do, Yelpers are well known as being the very best. It's small, gets crowded quickly so I'd suggest coming early or at some off hours, but the problem with is that there really doesn't seem to be any off hours for the place. One thing that you will love about the place is the character of it. Its character just seems to ooze out all over the place. read more

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Typical, old Spanish restaurante! Small, in a street where it is very easy to miss it. The tapas are so delicious!!! The tortilla! You have to wait a little bit because it is quite popular within the locals, but worth it all the way! Tipico bodegon viejo español! Chiquito, en una calle que es muy facil no encontrarlo. Las tapas, deliciosas!!! La tortilla! Se espera un poco la comida porque es bastante popular entre los locales, pero totalmente vale la pena esperar! read more

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I wish we had gone back again! We stayed in the front room and didn't go under the bar to the back or to the deck. I am a vermouth drinker so this is a slice of heaven. Best tortilla I had in Spain, creamy and tender inside. Same for croquettes. Everything was great. Our waiter sprinted everywhere! We tipped him a few Euros and you'd think we had handed him the moon. I can't say enough good things. read more

Food: 4.0/5.0 Service: 2.5/5.0 Value: 3.0/5.0 Decor: 3.5/5.0 Overall: 3.5/5.0 Interesting little set up albeit crazy crowded with people pouring onto the street during prime hours. Stand in the front or walk under the opening on the right side of the bar to try and nab a table in the back. The drinks were fine as well the tortilla, which was much more filling than I expected. For a tapas bar, yes, highly recommended. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

I wanted to try really good tortillas in Madrid, since I wasn't really a fan of them before, so I went here to try theirs, along with their house anchovy and vermouth. This was my first time having vermouth, but it was nice to sip on. Strong but kind of sweet and fragrant. The anchovy was delicious. They marinate it in Pedro Ximenez wine, so it's very rich, sweet, and you can actually taste the wine. Combined with the rich layer of goat cheese on the cracker, the tosta as a whole makes for a flavor-packed bite, and it's the most flavorful anchovy I've ever had. The only downside is that it takes them a very long time to prepare it (mine took about half an hour!), so I'm guessing they actually start marinating it when you order. But it tastes great, so order it if you're not in a rush. And the tortilla didn't disappoint. The only thing I would've liked was if it was seasoned more since the flavor is a bit simple, but I guess that's just tortillas in general. I loved the gooey, melty inside, as it was a refreshing change from dry solid tortillas I've had elsewhere. Overall, I really enjoyed each thing I had here. The bar became incredibly crowded and it took awhile for my order to be taken, but, again, if you have time to spare, then this place is good for quality food with your drinks. read more

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Beautiful historical taberna in Madrid. The space is divided in two by the bar. You have to literally go through the bar to get to the inner side of it. It has a beautiful collection of Goya engravings, which makes it so unique and shows it's connection to the lively XIX century tabernas world. Good draft vermouth. And not bad croquetas. Great character and a fun and progressive public that makes bring there always interesting read more

I was really only at this place for a hang out with some friends, but this place is super cute and the staff are very friendly. The place is super packed at night, and it has good food and drinks. I'm interested in trying more of their menu items. Will probably try pop by here again the next time I'm in Madrid! read more

A small spot with supposedly good food. Not really. Server tried to get us to order the most expensive items on the menu. We tried the Spanish tortilla it was an undercooked, tasteless, sloppy mess. Was thankful that they provided chips, as the tortilla needed salt and the added crunch was really welcomed. read more

A Madrilenian friend introduced me to the best and most authentic tapas in town at the quaint "Bodega de la Ardosa". Prior to explore further the sunny city, we shared tapas family style. The decor had a lot of character. The service was efficient. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

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Bodega de la Ardosa is just one of those places that is totally unforgettable. From the authentic old Spain ambiance, to the amazing food, and the very crowded space you just know it's going to be good. If the front is busy check (which it will be if you go at peak tapas hours) out the back space (that you have to carefully get to by crawling through the bar area). While you are there you will no doubt see dozens of little plates of tortilla make its way through the dining area from the kitchen. Def order the croquetas, and the tortilla espanola (no not that kind of tortilla, and I feel like calling it an omelette sort of doesn't do it justice either). Great bread too, and no nonsense service. Enjoy a glass of vermouth served the traditional way-- no frills, in a thimble sized glass. Not the kind of drink you throw back quick but one to enjoy and savor while you eat your tapas. 5/5, would eat again. In fact I did at least twice. read more

It doesn't get anymore Spanish than this! This place it's been around since 1892 so they must be doing something right!!! It's located in one of the side streets of fuencarral, it's a small but very cozy taberna, with a great wine and beer menu plus a generous and well prepared, simple but great tapas menu. The grilled artichokes are specially famous Very, very recommendable! read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

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When I travel, I'm loath to go to the same place twice but this was a rare repeat performer during our time in Madrid last week. We stayed about a block away in Chueca and first came here immediately after checking into our apartment. Just a few of the many, many reasons I love this place: 1.) It's old and feels like the kind of place that hasn't changed much over the years. Apparently, they've been around since 1892, which I didn't realize until reading some of the other reviews just now! 2.) There are two seating areas, one in front of the bar as you enter the restaurant and another behind it. To get to the back area, we had to duck under an opening in the bar, a fun quirk that we enjoyed. Once you're back there, most of the tables have a great view of the area where the delicious ham is cut -- it's a sight to behold. 3.) The waitresses and waiters were very friendly and patient with me as I spoke to them in my horrible pigeon Spanish. 4.) The tortilla...so, so, so good! On our first visit, we sat right by the kitchen when one popped up. We didn't even have to order it -- the waiter read our minds and just plopped it down on our table. Apparently, this is their most famous tapa. The combination of egg, onion, and potato was just perfect. 5.) Their ham croquettes are almost as good as the tortilla. I lost count of how many we ordered. 6.) This was the place where we had our first order of jamon iberico so it'll always have a special place in my heart for this reason. If we had another day in Madrid, we probably would have returned for a third sampling. Definitely a highlight of our time in the city. read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Posing at our table behind the bar. We had a great view of the ham! - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M

I think I must have missed something here as there is so many good reviews on yelp but I really don't understand why. A totally bland little bar with nothing much about it at all. They advertise kernel beers outside, but now don't stock them. They offered us some other bottled beers instead and then after we chose them they found they had none left! The bar is small and the tapas on offer is plain and uninspiring. One to avoid in my opinion a bar perhaps living of former glory, but nothing to make you go back. read more

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First meal out in Espana! (Belated review from Wednesday.) We had read about this being one of the best places to get tapas in town, so we made it our first meal out in Madrid. Important points to note: 1) this place is quite small, though intimate & 2) the concept of a highchair does not exist at this bar--or anywhere else in this country for that matter. We were with our friends, so ended up being a largish group of four adults, two babies/strollers, and a tween. The over-21 crowd started with vermouth, which was delicious. For food, we ordered the tortilla, pickled mussels, fried artichokes, and fish croquettes (bread and some bangin' olives are on the house). The tortilla is truly amazing and deserves its fame as one of the best in town. We also loved the artichokes, but the pickled mussels had an uber funky taste and texture. Croquettes were fine, but not impressive. A note about service in Spain: it sucks. To be expected, granted, since nobody works for tips. Our waitress was a little bit salty in the beginning, but warmed up to us after our daughter wooed her with a smile. Just set your expectations properly that everything will take forever and nobody gives a flying hoot about your "customer service experience." Overall, 3.5 stars, but we're rounding up since the place was so charming. read more

( en español abajo) I had the most unpleasant experience in Madrid and I will narrate it as it happened, we came from doing a tapas tour with my wife and my son and as in other places we asked for some cañitas (small beers) the lady who attended us told us very I was in a hurry because they used pints and half pints, since I don't handle English measures, I only asked for one to see what it was about and if I was convinced I would ask for more. (I will say that it is a nice place but extremely small, much smaller than one can imagine from the photos and with no place to sit, that is, you have to eat and drink standing up, which is common in Spain apparently.) Well, after ordering the beer, we stood while the aforementioned lady talked with the barman, which seemed strange to us, but after a few minutes we decided to leave and, already being on the street about 20 meters from the place, I heard the waitress screaming saying why we're leaving I'm going that she was chatting while they served me Czech beer or from somewhere like that and that it was served in three courses? (No, it wasn't German or Belgian beer) I told him that I don't care who I talk to! And I made him see that NO, he explained to us the origin, nor the process by which it would take so long to serve it and it was his obligation to explain it so I would decide whether to wait or not and I will say that I am not at all impatient! Well, didn't she keep telling me loudly that it was my obligation to ask? Patiently but already uncomfortable, I explained that I have visited many restaurants and when a dish takes longer than usual to prepare, they have always let me know out of courtesy and respect as a customer and this is a beer please! Well, I continued screaming in the middle of the street "that she didn't care"! Well, if you don't care less, I answered her already annoyed, I turned around and left, she continued screaming in the middle of the street for a beer I didn't drink! By the way, a blonde with light eyes and I'll upload the photo I took while she was talking with the bartender. Tuve las más desagradable experiencia en Madrid y la narraré tal cual ocurrió, veníamos de haciendo un tour de tapas con mi esposa y mi hijo y como en otros lugares pedimos unas cañitas (cervezas pequeñas) la señorita que nos atendió nos dijo muy apurada que ellos manejaban pintas medias pintas como no manejo medidas inglesas solo pedí una para ver de que se trataba y si me convencía ya pediría más. (Dire que es un lugar bonito pero sumamente pequeño mucho más pequeño de lo que se puede uno imaginar por las fotos y sin lugar para sentarse,ósea tienes que comer y beber parado cosa que es habitual en España al parecer.) Bueno después de pedir la cerveza nos quedamos parados mientras la señorita mencionada conversaba con el barman lo cual nos pareció extraño pero después unos minutos decidimos irnos y ya estando en la calle como a 20 metros del lugar escucho los gritos de la mesera diciendo que por que nos vamos voy que ella estaba conversando mientras me servían la cerveza checa o de algún lugar así y que se servía en tres tiempos? (No, no era cerveza alemana, ni belga) le dije que a mí no me importa con quien converse! Y le hice ver que NO, nos explicó el origen, ni el proceso por el que tardaría tanto en servirla y era su obligación explicarlo así yo decidiría si espero o no y dire que no soy nada impaciente! pues no ella continuo diciéndome a gritos que era mi obligación preguntar? Pacientemente pero ya incómodo le explique que he visitado muchos restaurantes y cuando un plato por su preparación demora más de lo habitual siempre me lo han echo saber por cortesía y respeto como cliente y esto es una cerveza por favor! Pues continuo a gritos a la mitad de la calle "que eso a ella no le importaba"!Pues si a usted no le importa menos a mi le conteste ya molesto me di media vuelta y me fui, ella continuó gritando en medio de la calle por una cerveza que no bebí! Por cierto una rubia de ojos claros no se confundan es una completa energúmena y ya subiré la foto que tomé mientras platicaba con el barman. read more

Good vibes and just overall a great place to go for a night out. The wines are affordable and the spanish omelette here is honestly the best I had in Spain. The texture of the tortilla is a little more soupy/gravy-like than other places but in a flavorful and delicious way. read more

This wonderful bar opened in Madrid in 1892 and is famous for its Guinness and Pilsner beer. But the tapas served here are fantastic too. We had scrambled egg with black pudding, a selection of croquetas, cecina (a delicious cured beef)and a thick form of gazpacho (the name escapes me - sorry - but it tasted superb. The atmosphere was wonderful and the food memorable. I definitely recommend it. read more

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First of all: this place does not take cash! My coworker had to dump me to get cash at the end of our meal (thank god she doesn't hate me so she did come back). A small place (extra room in the back so you have to go under the bar), and almost no seats so everyone eats standing up. The dishes were good, service was fast, and we had a good time. read more

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BEST TORTILLA ESPANOLA EVER! This bar is old and filled with charm, you even have to walk under the bar to get to the seating in the back. We ordered a handful of tapas and drinks but the tortilla was hands down the best thing on their menu and the best we had during our trip to Madrid. The ambience of the place is old world charm meets friendly neighborhood bar with a local feel. So so good! read more

Bodega de la Ardosa - Wine Bars Near Me - Madrid, M