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    Casa Rua

    3.9 (35 reviews)
    InexpensiveSpanish, Tapas Bars, Sandwiches
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Casa Rua Photos

    CASA RUA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Casa Rua

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    Reviews With Photos - Casa Rua

    Carol L.

    I love the workers in this restaurant. They were welcoming and friendly. All I needed was a bottled water and they were ice cold for $1.50. They did not speak English here but understood Uno Agua no problem.

    Calamari Sandwich at Casa Rua
    Bruce K.

    Per the food tour guide, the best calamari sandwich in Madrid. I don't know if it's the very best because I didn't try that many of them, but I was definitely very good. A toasty, crumbly baguette roll that's maybe six or so inches long, split open and stuffed with lightly battered and fried rings of calamari. Delicious and needs no condiments or spices. Just eat it as it is. When I stopped by, the place was packed but I managed to mime my way through ordering and paying. Only €3, a great snack! [Review 12523 overall, 2313 of 2019.]

    Chun P.

    Casa Rua is a small place and just far enough that you can't people watch on Plaza Mayor...which I know is a tragedy for many tourists... But for a mere €2.80, Casa Rua will whip up a freshly deep fried Calamari Sandwich. Its nothing exotic, nor is there a sauce, but they do pack in lots of calamari in that roll and it will fill your belly. For less than €2, I also got a nice beer. In America, this would've cost at least 3 times as much. If you're visiting Plaza Mayor and don't want to spend a lot of € € € € on lunch, drop by Casa Rua.

    Eric B.

    Cafe Rua is a fun (and small) local place right off the Plaza Mayor. Well, I'm not too sure how local, as it's featured in the Rick Steves Spain 2011 book. It has been around since 1940, and the specialty is their bocadillo de calamares and washed down with a cold beer. Cafe Rua is a very casual and mostly stand up, although limited seating is available at the bar, at a small table in back, or upstairs. Its also a nice alternative to the pricey patio noshing on the Plaza Mayor (of which we did too). Gayle and I enjoyed our quickly served sandwiches and with our cold cerveces, the bill came out to a reasonable 7.8 Euros (including free post cards). That was also just the added food-fueled energy we needed to go out into a crowded evening with happy folks on the evening before Día de la Hispanidad. And did I mention that it was already way past our bed time?

    ¡Bocadillo de calamares con una caña!
    Acá Se Come Así ..

    This place is famous for their calamari sandwich; it is a classic Madrileño snack! There's no better place to try it, everyone will recommend this restaurant if you're looking to try a bocata de calamares. Mayo is extra but be sure to ask for it and don't forget the caña! Este lugar es famoso por su bocata de calamares; ¡Es un clásico madrileño! No hay mejor lugar para probarlo, todos recomendarán este restaurante. La mayonesa se pide aparte, ¡y no olvides la caña!

    Tee D.

    We came here to try out their calamari sandwich since we saw lost of reviews of it. The taste to be fair was pretty good though for a plain calamari sandwich with no sauce. The calamari was well marinated and tasty. So why 4*? We found that the sandwich was too dry though. It was pretty much just the sandwich and calamari. The bread was also chewy. It seems like it's the style here in Madrid that they make dry sandwiches like that everywhere. If the sandwich could have some sauce or somehow be less dry, it would be perfect.

    Squid sandwich
    Kris U.

    For less than 3 euros you can get a satisfying and tasty squid sandwich (calamares bocadillos is one of Madrid's famous culinary delights), in this unassuming little bar right off Plaza Mayor. Beer, cider and vermouth is also available on tap to accompany your meal. You will likely see more locals in here than the tourists who tend towards the pricier food options inside the Plaza's courtyard.

    Bocadillo con camarones (squid sandwich)

    My goal was to eat typical dishes from Madrid during my stay and Casa Rua looked like small rustic place where one would want to try Bocadillo con Calamares. The squid is fried to order and served with some fresh bred. There are also several good beverages to pair it with. Altogether, it is a very tasty sandwich for only about 3 Euros. Highly recommended.

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    11 years ago

    Fantastic calamares boccadillos in a very traditional bar. It is cheap and excellent, just around the corner from plaza mayor. Amazing!!

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    Casa Rua Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Casa Rua

    was referred here by a youtube video to try their calamari sandwich, it is really good!!!

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    La Campana - Bocadillo de chorizo

    La Campana

    4.2(161 reviews)
    0.2 kmSol

    This place was on a bunch of lists, but sounded like it could have been over-touristy, given its…read morelocations and being on so many touristy "must see" lists - it is absolutely not, it is extremely legit, I'd come here all the time if I lived in Madrid. The calamari you're probably here for, isn't literally the best calamari on the planet, it's just fried calamari that you'd get anywhere, but it is absolutely great calamari, perfectly fried and seasoned, and you get a *lot* of it. Since everything was so affordable and I'd heard such great things about the calamari, I ended up ordering (for me and my wife) both a calamari sandwich and a cup of calamari, also a sausage sandwich and a cup of patatas bravas. From this, I learned, if I were ever back in Madrid, I'd definitely go back here and get three of those things again, by which I mean, yes, they stuff the sandwich full of calamari, but that's still nowhere near as much as the absolutely absurd amount of calamari they stuff the *"raciones" (i.e. just a cup of calamari) with, so that ended up being way too much food. The calamari was obviously the star, but the sausage was also pretty tasty, and that sandwich didn't fall apart nearly as much as the calamari sandwich did... I ended up stuffing the sausage sandwich with some additional calamari from the overflowing calamari sandwich, and that is absolutely the way to do it: get a sausage sandwich, a cup of calamari, and stuff your own combo sandwich. Or just skip the bread entirely, honestly. The potatoes were also fantastic, and you also get an equally absurd amount in a "ration". One note, though, the potatoes come pre-sauced in a portion - the calamari, by default, do not, so you absolutely do want to pay the .40 euro extra for the sauce and some extra lemons, as it absolutley does need both for the full effect. Another note - as I expected from other reviews, yes, there was a huge line when we got there. This line is, notably, *only* to wait for a table, which makes sense, as the restaurant itself isn't very large. There was a separate line for to-go orders, which had exactly one person waiting when we got there, so there was about a 30 second wait to order to-go. So if you're staying nearby, that is definitely the way to go. They also don't have a lot of drink choices, so I would strongly recommend what we did, bought a couple bottled ciders from a grocery store on the way and had them with our food back at our hotel.

    La Campana absolutely lives up to the hype. I tried both the bocadillo de chorizo and the bocadillo…read morede calamares, and at only 4.50€ each, you really cannot beat the value. The chorizo was solid, but the bocadillo de calamares was on another level. Fried to perfection, served on soft bread, and the lemon aioli really set it off. We kept hearing from people all over Madrid that La Campana was the place to go, and I even overheard multiple walking tours throughout the week calling this THE spot for a bocadillo de calamares. After going myself, I completely get it. It is conveniently located right in Plaza Mayor where there are several bocadillo shops, but this is THE one you want. They move fast too. I was in and out of line and already eating in less than 5 minutes. Perfect spot if you want a quick but filling Spanish classic. Next time I am definitely sitting inside and trying more off the menu.

    Photos
    La Campana - Interior

    Interior

    La Campana - Calamares

    Calamares

    La Campana - Bocadillo de calamares

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    Bocadillo de calamares

    100 Montaditos - Montaditos, mini-sandwiches

    100 Montaditos

    4.2(6 reviews)
    1.5 km

    Cute little sandwiches for a snack or light meal; very inexpensive. I had the 'pollo tandoori' and…read more'jamón gran reserva' montaditos and my husband had the ensalada campechana which has tuna in it; we each had a drink and that came to around 10 Euros. The tandoori chicken is not anything like tandoori. It's very mildly flavored. It was a plain sandwich, as described on the menu, with just meat and nothing else; no butter or mayo, though they have other variations with more ingredients such as lettuce and tomato. Overall I quite liked it. However if I had known earlier their 'pollo' was processed chicken cut into chunky slices, I might not have ordered it, but I thought it was a decent little sandwich. The bread had a nice texture; not crusty, but not too soft. The jamón with tomato and olive oil was actually good quality jamón. I loved that they served a handful of potato chips with the montaditos! Those were perfect. The salad had an iceberg lettuce base (which unfortunately seems to be the standard lettuce in Spain), a good amount of tuna, some other toppings including crispy fried onion bits. Green salads are not a standard on menus in Spain so it was a nice option to have and my husband really liked it. The great thing about the mini-sandwich size is that you can order just enough for your appetite, and you can try different flavors. This site had indoor tables, outdoor tables, and apparently a second floor. It was popular with young people hanging out with friends. It's convenient to the Atocha train station, nearby hotels, and the Reina Sofía museum. They also have Ben and Jerry's ice cream desserts. Staff that night spoke English and were efficient.

    A nifty little place to go after the Museo de Reina Sofia on a sunday (which is free after 1:30pm)…read more €1 sandwiches... theyre tiny. But whereas they skimped on portions, they're pretty much packed with flavor. I had the chorizo and brie (which the nephew ate by accident & i had to eat his order: salmon and cream cheese) and a hotdog. Because I felt cheated out of my chorizo and brie, i had to order a third one, plus get a sweet sandwich dessert consisting of chocolate bread, oreos and dulce de leche. Also, I asked for beer but they poured me a mug of apple cider (€2ish). The guys who work here are super nice and alternate playing pop (ed sheeran?) music and heavy metal. They also have a tv on - futbol is on, of course. Wifi is free!!!

    Photos
    100 Montaditos - Bar

    Bar

    100 Montaditos
    100 Montaditos - Menú

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    Menú

    Mercado de San Miguel - poke tapas

    Mercado de San Miguel

    4.2(1.4k reviews)
    0.0 kmSol
    €€

    Really enjoyed Mercado de San Miguel, even if it's the more touristy food market in Madrid. Came…read morelater in the evening. Must gets include - jamón ibérico from Puesto Carrasco Ibéricos - olives and vermut from The Hour of the Vermouth - wine from Pinkleton & Wine - codfish from La Casa del Bacalao There's also a Spanish omelet vendor but it was okay. Great energy in the market. Can be difficult to find a seat at a table but there's plenty of standing counters along the perimeter.

    Gee, how do I put this diplomatically? OK, I can't. I hated it from the moment Jamie W and I tried…read moreto walk through the front door. We had just strolled from Plaza Mayor on a Monday afternoon at 4:30PM. It was completely packed like an indoor version of The Great Migration in really slow motion. We could hardly see any of the food much less be able to order anything or even less, find any place to eat it. Through the masses, I could tell it was a high-end gourmet hall, and apparently over thirty vendors do business here. I saw maybe two. Come at 10AM if you have any interest in trying the food here. The cacophonous late afternoon anarchy made us lose our appetites. If you think my assessment is unfair, I suggest you march off the cliff with the rest of the Instagram lemmings. RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/Q4Qey2-qmW

    Photos
    Mercado de San Miguel
    Mercado de San Miguel - Taco tapas

    Taco tapas

    Mercado de San Miguel - Curry and tomato meatballs

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    Curry and tomato meatballs

    Casa Rua - spanish - Updated August 2026

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