Food was excellent. Paella was very good as well as the pork cheeks. Also got the Tinto De Verano…read morewhich was very good and refreshing. As I look at other people's food, everything looks so good! Had to wait a little bit for a table but the waiter was super nice. You can also order at the bar if you want. Pretty decent bar decor? A little nicer than the places that I usually frequent! lol

El Sur is an unpretentious cafe in Madrid outside the main tourist areas in Lavapies. I enjoyed the…read morepork roast on a bed of potatoes. I also could not resist the cheesecake, which was freshly made. The pork was good and included a generous helping of meat. The cheesecake was outstanding, an unexpected bonus. The restaurant was lively with locals. Service was slower but more relaxing. This cafe was a find.

Alright, as I continue to try to catch up on all the review drafts I wrote while on vacation, at…read morethis point a whole 5 months ago... I know this one was exactly 5 months ago, because we touched down in Madrid on New Years Day, and this was the first place we ate (sounds like they've been here for aeons, so I doubt they've changed significantly since January.) My plan when we landed had been to just go down the list I'd made before we left of the best quick food places near our hotel, and eat at the first one that *was* open on New Years. I was worried there wouldn't be any and we'd be eating snacks from a convenience store, but nope! This place was indeed open. Open, and an absolute *madhouse*. I'm not sure if it was just because it was New Years, they were open, and much of the street wasn't, or if they're always this crazy - but it was a decent wait to order, to the point that it wasn't *entirely* clear whether we were even waiting correctly to order, since the line had kind of turned into a blob. Ordering and picking up our food was slightly nerve-wracking with how crowded it was, and there didn't really appear to be anywhere inside to sit, so we figured we'd sit outside at the tables... that we got immediately yelled at for sitting at, because it turns out all the tables right outside their entrance, actually belongs to their next door neighbor. So if I were ever back in Madrid, I *would* totally consider getting food here again, but I'd just probably plan on bringing it back to the hotel, vs what we ended up doing, finding the closest nearby flat non-private surface and eating it standing up in an alley. It definitely felt like a cool historic building inside, though, would've loved to dine in, if it hadn't been wall-to-wall packed, which it sounds like they might just always be. Food was great, though. We shared (this was plenty of food): An order of the cider-braised sausages - wonderful. Bonus, we learned from personal experience, you definitely want to get an order of these sausages, as not only are the sausages themselves delicious, the resulting au jus was also great for dipping the other items into.) An order of the ham and cheese croquettes - pretty tasty, though they did fall apart. Even tastier dipped in sausage juice, though then they *really* fell apart. Worth it though. Didn't look like you got a lot per order, but looks are deceiving - they were *rich*. An order of their famous mushrooms - I was a bit surprised, given the name literally means "the mushroom bar", that they only had a single mushroom dish, though given the sheer volume of that one item they clearly sell nightly, I can see why. Anyway, as a mushroom fan... they were certainly tasty mushrooms, perfectly cooked, but in my opinion, just a bit oversalted. Also had a glass of sangria for 2.50 euro - it is extremely good sangria, though the glass for 2.50 was pretty small. They also sell it for a better price by the larger container, but sadly, while I absolutely loved the European spirit of trusting people to be responsible after leaving with a to-go alcoholic beverage... they don't sell the *larger* sized sangria if you aren't dining in. Was too bad, as I absolutely would have loved twice as much of that sangria, but it clearly wasn't worth standing in a long ordering line a second time for it.

If you're looking for delicious mushrooms look no further! Beautiful old restaurant. Great service!read more

so we walked in here. It's a tiny place that is definitely more pub than restaurant. I didn't see…read moreanyone eating and we did not try the paella that I really wanted to try. But I'm not sure if this is a place that I would want to try seafood paella....

The food was delicious! Good portion sizes and the paella was incredibly flavorful. They were also…read morequite accommodating with vegetarian options. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful too. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a small, less noisy, Spanish meal!

Luckily, we got in immediately, and we were seated with ease. Upon ordering our drinks, we recieved…read morea tapa of mushrooms and a sun dried tomato. We then ordered the Anchoas con pesto and the Ensalada verde con dados de salmón y salsa de soja. Everything was amazing. We left with a bottle of the vermut after trying the Manuela. Incredible!

My fav vermut bar in Madrid. Love the vibe. We stopped by on a weeknight and the place was packed…read morewith friendly locals. We wasted no time and ordered their white vermut and red vermut and then tried their spanish wine.. their wine was great but their house vermut - undeniably the best I had in Madrid (trust me I had plenty). They give free tapas with their drinks - mushrooms (wow) and also ham and mini breadsticks. This was perfect to pair with our vermut and wine. We loved their house vermut so much that we ordered 2 bottles to take back home with us. Staff was friendly and loved the vibe of this bar. I will miss this place for sure! Highly recommend.

I absolutely adore this restaurant! I have visited it twice, and definitely next time I go to…read moreMadrid, I will visit it again. The restaurant is located in the heart of Madrid on a very cute street, and it is easy to find and walk there if you stay in the city center. The place is not very big - both times I went there for lunch, there were no tables available, so I had to sit at the bar; once I even had to wait about 7 minutes until one bar spot became free. The restaurant's design is simple, but pretty and lovely. Overall, the restaurant is in very good condition and was perfectly clean both times I visited. The only small downside is that the place is quite noisy, but it did not bother me. One of the best things about this place is the people who work there - both a guy and a lady at the bar were extremely nice and friendly to me; plus, both spoke very good English. They gave me recommendations on what to try, and I followed their advice. The restaurant's menu is not big, but it has all the most popular traditional Spanish dishes. Both times I ordered Rabo de Toro (a traditional Spanish stew), Fardos (squid rolls with bacon and squid ink mousse); and once I also tried croquetas de jamón (ham croquettes). The croquettes were tasty - I loved their flavor and soft texture. One portion includes 6 pieces, and they are quite big and filling. It was my first time trying Fardos (I ordered a 1/3 portion), and it was a great experience - the dish turned very delicious after the bartender mixed it for me. The squid was cooked very nicely, and combined with the fresh bacon and ink mousse, it tasted fantastic. Rabo de Toro (I ordered a 1/2 portion) was also my first time trying this dish, and I loved it - the stew was perfectly cooked, very soft and moist, with rich flavors, and it melted in my mouth. The restaurant also offers a wide variety of drinks, especially wines. I do not drink alcohol, so I was recommended to try grape juice - Mosto, which was extremely flavorful and tasted like fresh pressed grape juice, even though it came from a glass bottle. I loved that drink! Price-wise, all items on the menu seemed reasonable. I paid €8 for 6 ham croquettes, €12 for a half portion of Rabo de Toro, €8 for a 1/3 portion of Fardos, and €3 for one glass of grape juice. It is possible to have a nice full lunch here for around €22, which is reasonable for a restaurant in the heart of Madrid. The place accepts all major credit cards and Apple Pay, which is a big plus. If you visit this restaurant, I strongly recommend trying 1/3 or 2/3 portion of Fardos, a half portion of Rabo de Toro, and their grape juice Mosto - it's enough food to feel full and experience traditional Spanish flavors.

Casa Lucas is a MUST on the La Latina tapas tour! Casa Lucas serves tapas with a creative twist,…read moreand if I'd had more time (and wasn't a party of one), I would've tried so much more! I ordered the Oxtail (Rabo de Toro) and wooooow... easily one of the most tender and delicate pieces of meat I've EVER had. They serve it boneless, but I'm pretty sure if they would have provided a bone, it would've fallen right off. The whole place gives cozy tavern vibes with a rustic interior that feels perfectly Madrid. NOTE: the portions are a bit heavier than most spots. I hate to waste food, especially when it's as immaculate as the Oxtail, but if you're a party of one, you got to do what you go to do.

I've been visiting Malaespina for over a decade -- from my time living in Madrid to every trip back…read more-- and one thing has never changed: it's easily one of the best spots in Madrid for a no-frills, delicious tapas meal and amazing sangria. The quality of the food has remained consistent for the 10 years I've been visiting! Tucked away just off Sol, Malaespina is the epitome of a classic Madrid taverna. The inviting, unpretentious atmosphere, the cozy charm, the prices, the energy -- it's hard to capture it all in words. There's a certain magic at Malaespina. The tavern has been around for hundreds of years, and I often wonder what it was like a century ago. I'm always amazed that such a gem exists in the heart of Madrid, a city center filled with tourist traps. Malaespina draws both locals and tourists -- and for good reason. The food quality to price ratio is unbeatable. On our most recent visit, we had huevos estrellados, tortilla tapas, sangria, and espressos, and spent about $20 for the two of us. You really can't beat that! Here's hoping they stick around for many more years to come.

Came here for lunch and had a decent experience. Staff were super friendly and restaurant was nice…read more We sat outside and ate our meal and it was quite pleasant. When we first sat down they gave us a welcome bruschetta and bread for free which were pretty decent portions. We then ordered our food and it was pretty good as well. We ordered their half chicken (pollo asado con patatas), sirloin steak, and Malaspina tosta. The portions were huge and we definitely over ordered. We thought they were more the size of tapas but each dish was a huge portion itself which definitely isn't a bad thing. The food tasted pretty good but I think it just lacked flavor occasionally. All the meat was cooked well and was very juicy, just could use a little more flavor. Otherwise everything was good. Solid 4 stars

My dining companion and I were looking for a quick drink and snack after touristing hard. We found…read morethis cozy place right off the main drag. We ordered drinks, and food, tuna tataki, and the duck confit. Both delightfully tasty, savory, and rich. What a treat! Our appetite satiated, we once again took to the crowded streets of Madrid.

Stopped by this spot with my family and it was pretty cute. Fun artwork all over the walls, and a…read morelarge restaurant (though can get cramped during busy times). Food was great- however, removed 2 stars because the server got our order wrong twice. In addition, we were being brought food from other people's orders. When we notified him of the mistake(s), he immediately seemed annoyed and tried to convince us we ordered what he brought, and when we pushed back he gave us the cold shoulder the rest of the night. I do believe the mistakes were largely in part to him not writing the orders down and attempting to memorize everything.

This is a spot that feels like a little bar but is actually more like a casa with some food items…read more Here, they are big on pig and there are Iberico hams located on and around the bar for easy access. If you are vegan, coming here will only piss you off. In fact, a vegan in Madrid in general is ill-advised. The setting feels historic and rustic with exposed brick and stone that appears to be centuries old. They seem to make everything (both food and drink) behind that cramped bar which explains why most of their menu items are cold, pre-made, or easy to assemble from short lists of raw ingredients. This does not mean that anything is bad. It just means it is like producing charcuterie in a dorm room bar. A large number of items involve Iberico Ham and one of the barmen is constantly shaving off thin pieces for service. In fact the freebie snack they send out from the kitchen had some Iberico ham and Manchego cheese on it which was a really nice warm up of what to expect. Over the noonish lunch hour, I was the only tourist in the place surrounded by many locals that clearly know about this spot. I liked those odds for assuring me of a genuine authentic experience. It was an accurate predictor. I'm not the most experienced when it comes to true Spanish tapas but this seemed to be a very genuine depiction of what the locals look for in a rustic Iberico ham experience. And frankly, even if it wasn't I can't find anything to really complain about. It was a cool historic setting, there was ice-cold vermouth from a tap, and I spent an hour shoving local Morcilla (blood sausage) and Iberico pig parts into my pie hole for the better part of an hour. It was a great experience any way you choose to look at it.

Must visit if only to meet Vicente Fernandez!…read more Friendly staff, great drinks, great appetizers, great ambiance, great vibe. Perfect place to end the night.

Best food, best drinks, and all traditional! The owner gave us his back story on why the food is…read moreSOOOO good! His brothers cooks and was taught by his mother who use to cook for her 20+ family members! We ate al fresco after visiting Plaza de España, stopped due to all the tables being full and we did right! EAT HERE ITS WORTH IT! (Eat the paella and sangria!) FRESH TO ORDER PAELLA! HECHO AL ORDEN PAELLA! * La mejor paella y sangria y todo typico! El dueno, muy Buena gente, nos dijo porque la comida es tan buena! Su hermano es el cocinero y aprendio de su mama que cocinaba para 20+ miembros de la familia! Comimos afuera despues de visitar el plaza de España, paramos porque estaba lleno y hicimos correcto! Coma aqui vale la Pena! ( especialmente la paella y sangria!)

After sightseeing all day we came in for a very late lunch. From reviews I read I wanted to try the…read moremix paella since it's one of the best in Madrid. We were seated by the table near the window and ordered right away since we knew what we wanted. My friend and I split the mixed paella which comes with shrimp, calamari, crawfish, chicken and sausage. We also ordered two big glasses of the sangria. The paella took about 45 mins to make since all the paellas are made to order. While we were waiting we were sipping on our sangrias which were delicious! The only thing was that it was a bit too sweet for me and I could taste the grains of sugar at the bottom of my glass. The paella finally came and it was a beautiful site to see ! So colorful with the different elements in the dish. The rice was cooked perfectly and everything was seasoned well. It was a bit oily though when you scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the rice but it was delicious!!! During out meal the owner and our waiter has a disagreement about something and were yelling at each other across the restaurant. Kind of disrupted our dining atmosphere but overall the food was good and our service was good. Def. Recommend this place to anyone who wants a good plate of paella and glass of sangria!

One more star on the Instagram trail and I'd agree--it's our fault for not being more discerning or…read morefor staying on the beaten path. But Juana La Loca has an aseos issue. We sat at the bar, and all we could smell was the semi-clean bathroom--and I say that not from visiting it, but from the sheer odor. Things went south when a burly German Messerschmitt sat next to us and compounded the smell. I'm not being Teutonophobic--I'm just telling it like it was ( said every xenophobic ) The tortilla that lured us here was fine, but too sweet for my taste--like the rest of the pintxos. Or maybe it was the side of Clorox.

Someone recommended this place to my friend so we stopped by, and wow! Delicious…read more The Spanish "tortilla" was packed with flavor. The onions were jammy and so flavorful; they made this dish amazing. Definitely different from all the other tortillas I had. Grilled beef sweetbread bruschetta, with melted havarti cheese and chimichurri was rich but not filling, so I ordered the Red tuna tartar with wasabi pearls. My friend had the oxtail fajita- which she loved. All of the food we had here was great. I only wish we had been told that we could only get the dolce de leche volcano if we ordered it at the same time as our food. I was really looking forward to it. Instead we had the carrot and ginger pie (cake) with yogurt and the lemon pie. Of note, this place is small, so be prepared to wait. You can sit and eat at the bar.