I was staying nearby, and sadly only ventured here on my last night. This place is how broke…read moreMadrileños do it, napkins on the floor and all. If you sit outside, there is a very small markup on the tab. I sat at the bar alone, and despite being a social place where people generally go with a group of friends, it wasn't awkward at all.
You order a caña (small beer) and one tapa off the menu of 22 choices. (What restaurants call tapas in the States are really raciones, smaller plates, which they also serve here.) Tapas are included free with the price of a beer. So you can drink and fill up and try different things.
I had the mini fajita de pollo y verduras (chicken and vegetables), which had a slight spicy flavor I've been missing. It came with a few fries and mayo sauce. Then I quickly ordered a second (you have to order before 1130pm, which is kinda early here). Next I had the filetito de ternera con salsa chimichurri (the popular pork fillet on a slice of baguette, served with housemade potato chips). Each item is bigger than an hors d'oevres, think three or four bites. You could stay here for a few hours and be quite content.
The place is bustling and the staff are energetic and fun. People gave the bartenders a bit of change (tipping isn't customary) because they do hustle between rounds of drinks and tapas. Total tab before tip: 3 Euros ($3.26 at the current exchange rate). Seriously.