Wonderful food! Delicious breakfast! The bacon was especially yummy. Definitely a must. And near…read morethe Prado Museum!

Located a few blocks from the Prado museum, La Plateria offers some indoor seating and plenty of…read moreoutdoor seating (with a premium on food for sitting outdoors). Food is very reasonably priced for the area. Our server brought out a menu board written in English, which was very helpful. The food - Grilled Aspargus - grilled tender and gently seasoned Stewed Pork Cheek with Rice - this is comfort food - stewed meat, gravy, and rice - not complicated, but soul warming Patatas Bravas - a reasonable version Feel like the menu got off the rails a bit here - Duck Confit with Apple - used to a more spiced version with a pan seared skin. Duck is ok, the apple is really soft with tough skin. Paella Mixta - a very chicken and bell pepper forward version of a paella Chocolate à la tazo - hot chocolate - a thinner, less chocolatey version than we had at other restaurants. Also, it was a broken emulsion. Green Salad with Sardine and Fresh Cheese - I thought this was a weird mixture of greens, carrots, tomatoes, olives, sardines, and mild/soft cheese. It's true to the menu description, but never had this combo before.

We were recommended this spot when visiting, and came for dinner on our first night out. They have…read moreall the classic tapas, and we got quite a few to share along with a pitcher of sangria. The sangria was a little watery for our taste, but not bad. The food came out quickly and we had quite a large spread - jamon, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, pork cheeks, spanish omelette, and calamari. Most of them were good, with my favorites being the pork cheeks, potatoes, and jamon. I would skip the spanish omelette next time as it wasn't quite up to what I was hoping for. Prices were reasonable as well for the portion sizes. Pretty good spot overall but not a must try.

This was one of the recommendations from my friend who's lived in Madrid for the the last 10+…read moreyears. For a chain restaurant, I think it's is close to as good as it gets. They don't take reservations so you have to wait in line, and depending on the time of night, it could take up to an hour wait. We came here on our first night in Madrid - it happened to be just around the corner from our hotel which was super convenient. We had a super late and big lunch that day, so we didn't go until around 11pm. It was a Friday night and we waited about 25min to get a table. It was quite cramped in there, with tables basically on top of each other, though that's typical in Europe. We started with a bottle of red and some small plates including octopus, ceviché, pork with caramelized onions, beef nigiri, etc. In fact, we actually ordered multiple orders of some of them cause they were so delicious! We were so incredibly full with the small plates we didn't get to order many of the other items from their extensive menu. I never thought I'd have room for dessert but when the server said they had hazelnut gelato I knew I had to get it. Well, let's just say we did not waste any of it! Even my husband who's normally not a sweets person ate his fair share cause it was so good! We had a great time there, and the prices were extremely reasonable. We liked it so much that we decided to come back 4 days later for lunch before heading to our next destination - Barcelona!

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.

Everything here was perfect: prices, quality of food, service and the authentic touch of Spain!…read more Gracias Sara!!!

Hit this joint with my wife in Madrid (Spain). Super cool spot, everyone was super busy, but that…read moredidn't impact the awesome service we received. Food and drinks were all excellent! If in Spain, check out this joint for sure!

Located just outside of Puerta de Sol. This is a great place to enjoy Espana tapas and a drink!…read more The tapa portions are very large: the small size anchovies, contains two pieces of bread with 5 white anchovy fillets, diced onions, green olives, drizzled with olive oil. For a savory entree, I recommend the oxtail stew: 10 pieces of delectable oxtails in a brown gravy sauce. This tasted more like a beef pot roast, rather than a tomato style gravy. The oxtails are paired with thick cut fries.

My wife and I had lunch here at 4:30 PM. Many other tapas places are closed around this time. The…read morestaff was incredibly friendly, and the portions were generous. The restaurant was spotless. It's a short walk from Puerta de Alcalá, making it a perfect place to rest after exploring the sights.

Came here around lunch time, the place looks decently nice, a bit empty at 1pm but I think because…read morewe are early and most people eat lunch even later. There is the choice of sitting inside or outside, and we were indoors. Service was decent and we felt well attented to. Croquettes- Crispy potato-y outside, and cheesey and full of flavor and sauce on the inside. We got a full course, but these are so full and filling and gets monotonous so quickly, we probably should have gotten half instead of whole. 4/5 Red pepper stuffed with monkfish and prawns- By far the best dish here. The sauce is super flavorful, like a wine sauce with sweet tomato. The pepper is slightly sweet as well, and the fish and prawns are cooked very nicely and go great with the sauce. 5/5 Iberian Sausage- the traditional thinly sliced ham is better. We only got half but this tapa is literally just sausage and nothing else, and gets monotonous, and tiring very quickly with how chewy and salty it is. Eat it with the bread they provide. 2/5 Steak with peppers and patatas fritas- The beef is good, soft and flavorful, salted nicely, and on the juicier side. There's too much patatas fritas and that got filling quick. Peppers are salted nicely as well. 4/5 Overall, a very heavy and filling meal, nothing small about the size or heaviness of their tapas. Red pepper (Pimientos rellenos de rape y langostinos) is the dish to order.

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

You can stay at the bar and get the tapas plates... or you can go into the dining room down below…read moreand REALLY enjoy the extent of the menu. KUDOS to the chef! There is so much more to try than tapas on bread. See below! This was an excellent dining experience- not rushed, and we had other dishes but these were the all stars - the fried eggplant with sweet molasses was so light and enjoyable. The tuna/potato/egg ensalada rustica was fabulous. This dish we had as a tapa in many places but they REALLY make this special with the capers in it and I think there was a little hint of pickle? We also order the octopus/(pulpo) and it was tender and well seasoned! As well we enjoyed this crispy pork belly over Romesco sauce made with potatoes and Spanish smoked paprika. And then..YES MORE PORK! The stewed pull apart pork with fries Friggin delicious . I want to eat pork every day of my life now, Spain has ruined me. Where is the JAMON In America, prosciutto is def NOT the same thing! Our service was very very good- the waitress took SUCH good care of us, was friendly and helpful when ordering. I love the vibe of this place, great music playing and an upscale atmosphere. We went twice and will go again when we return!

My fellow Yelpers who are visiting Madrid don't let the 3.5 stars deter you. First, Yelp isn't…read moreactually a big European thing. As of this writing there were less than 80 reviews. However, if you Google Mercado de La Reina, it has 4 stars with nearly 7000 reviews. Second, we actually went here TWICE during our Madrid stay. This place was great! Don't let the Gran Via location make you think it is a tourist trap. During our two visits I noticed that the hostess and Chef Alvaro were greeting customers by name and even giving hugs. That means locals. In our first visit he checked in on us and noticing that we are Filipino he excitedly called his Filipino team members over who chatted with us as well. This really made for a welcoming family atmosphere. Food was fantastic. The tapas scene is obviously the thing to do in Spain when it comes to eating. There is a sit-down menu restaurant towards the back but we opted for the tapas bar scene. During both our visits it ranged from mellow to full on crowded-elbow-your-way-to-the-counter. Sounds dismaying but THAT is the way the tapas scene is. I found it amazing that the people behind the counter are able to keep track of all the orders. As tapas go, you order to share and share we did. Everything was tasty and went well with a refreshing red vermouth. We were even surprised with a dessert which was a ridiculously amazing cheesecake. Highly recommend!

As I continue to work my way towards clearing my review queue of all the great places we visited in…read moreJanuary on our trip to Portugal (with a 4-day "layover" in Madrid on the way)... this place was definitely one of many highlights. I am glad I intentionally got there a few minutes before they reopened for dinner, as it was, as I had heard, not a very large place, and they do fill up quickly. So the best time to get there is definitely a little while before they open. The atmosphere is definitely... loud, but not *too* loud. It's busy, and a tiny bit cramped, but not wall-to-wall, and I loved that you could easily flag down staff at any time and order more food or drink, and it always arrived quickly. (I absolutely ordered both more food and more drink while I was here.) Food-wise - I just can't stress enough how good their tuna empanadas were. I'd heard they're most known for their fried cod, but they really shouldn't be. Don't get me wrong, their fried cod is quite good cod, super flaky, perfectly fried. Super filling, too. A little too salty, though - and a bit one-dimensionally "fried" flavor - I feel like it should have had tartar sauce, or hot sauce, or ideally both. They had, as far as I could tell, no condiments for it. (I suppose you could bring your own hot sauce?) The fried pork belly is also very good, also obviously *absurdly* filling (it's basically all fat). I certainly wouldn't eat it all the time (for my health), but I would strongly recommend trying it. But the empanadas... they're small, but at least as of January, were only 2 euro each. I could have eaten a dozen of them (we ordered a second round of empanadas). If I were ever back in Madrid, and assuming the menu hadn't completely changed, I'd probably skip the cod and just order a bunch of empanadas (or, I suppose, remember to bring my own hot sauce... and still order a bunch of empanadas. The empanadas could also have used hot sauce. Everything is better with hot sauce. :p) I'd definitely come back, though. They have a simple drink menu, but a wonderful one - notably, this was where I was formally introduced to the popular Spanish drink, tinto verano, an extremely crushable wine beverage with citrus soda, I would have never thought of as a good idea, but which I ordered a second one of before I left, and I'm not even a fan of citrus sodas. (Then again, I also imagine the citrus sodas in Spain are also probably slightly less full of junk than the American ones.) Went extremely well with the fried food. I also had a glass of the house vermouth, which wasn't the best *ever*, but it was solid enough, especially for how cheap it was.

Fun cafe to enjoy a late afternoon glass of wine with some yummy tapas. They offered some fantastic…read morewines by the glass and bottle - we landed on a lovely Albariño. The crisp minerality of the wine was a nice offset to the often greasy nature of croquettes and fried artichokes with ham. The service was friendly and welcoming and the patio seating offered some great people watching!