Getting our bearings around our hotel and trying to find a place to grab some food, we found El Diario. It was appealing since it seemed to have more than fish on the menu, as someone with a fish allergy. While the food selection was plentiful, I didn't love what I ordered (a ham, asparagus, and tomato canape). The bread was soggy and the ham was tough. We also ordered patatas bravas and the potatoes were a bit greasy. It also felt like we were a huge inconvenience for the staff. I'm used to dining in Europe and the nuances, but just felt unwelcome and had the vibe of "get out of here" the whole time. We did just that as soon as we were done. read more

El Diario - Ham, asparagus and tomato canape - Restaurants Near Me - Madrid, M

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Food was meh. Husband had chicken soup and it tasted like top ramen. Potatoes bravas were greasy, bland. COD fritters were greasy and bland. Wine list very limited. Service slow but friendly. Understaffed? read more

One of my favorite Tapas places in Madrid. Away from the overcrowded tourist places this is home for locals. Food is good. Service is friendly. They have outside tables and typical dishes. Recommended. read more

El Diario - Bar area - Restaurants Near Me - Madrid, M

MEH is all I can offer. Saturday evening it was packed as you would expect. Tapas was not available either bc they ran out or bc we sat in the dining area, we were u able to get clarification. We ordered a picture of sangria which was good although it had a bit of a sour taste at finish. I ordered pork shoulder which was tasty but just didn't look appetizing. My wife order the cod (baccala), it had a sweetness to it, unsure if this was typical fare or something else. The meal was fine, service was ok for as busy as it was. Would I go back or recommend it, prob not. Ambiance was cool, very rustic. read more

El Diario - Bar area - Restaurants Near Me - Madrid, M

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Dive bar? I hope they mean that in a nice way. This place is terrific. The drinks were cheap. All the food was homemade. Service was delightful. Selection was great. Great experience. read more

¡Highly recommended! The first complimentary tapa was potatoes, eggs, tuna and olives. The second one was eggs, potatoes, and green peppers. Beers were good. Vermut was delicious, excellent sangria. The bartenders were very nice and helped a lot of patrons with their Spanish. read more

Looks great from the outside but there is no reason to go inside. AVOID!! Bland low quality food. I hope that I don't get sick from the shrimp that were past their sell by date. read more

Hard pass. Food is decent enough, but our waitress was horrendous. I can only assume it because we are American. I speak decent enough Spanish (30 years as a chef in Los Angeles), but she was so rude. They brought everyone else complimentary olives for the table but not us. We had to flag down other waiters to get additional drinks. My kids commented that she didn't like her job. Better places to go that might appreciate the business. Maybe not a tourist destination, which, funnily enough, was what we were looking for. I kinda feel like a dick leaving this review, but you should know before you come in and get her as your server. read more

A very nice meal! Everywhere else on Calle de las Huertas was pretty much empty, while el Diario was pretty full. There was a good reason. The food was very good. Lively atmosphere. Good service. Bigger portions than expected. I would go back. read more

Avoid Los Gatos at all costs and come here for good food and better tostas. Service was better, the size and quality of the tostas was world's away from other establishments, and they were quite tasty. It helps that it's a nice place to sit in. read more

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We travel to Madrid for Christmas and stayed at an apartment near this El Diario. Food is not so great. Salty. Very fast food quality. Little flies everywhere, annoying. Ceiling is leaking. Water dropped down on our table. Waitress is friendly and speak fluent English. Will not recommend to anyone. read more

El Diario - Restaurants Near Me - Madrid, M

This place has one of the best sangrias. The thing is they only offer a jug of it, which you get about 6 glasses. The croquetas and baklava were very good. read more

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If you're in Madrid and happen to come in this place I don't suggest ordering actual food. Their tapas or pinchos with a drink is fine but be wary. I came in for their menu del dia and ordered a tinto to drink. Most bars realize tinto means tinto de verano rather than just a glass of red wine. I told the waitress that I actually wanted a tinto de verano; she comes back with a bottle of sparkling water and sets it on the table. This is absurd considering real tinto de verano is not just red wine with room temp sparkling water. You also need vermouth and lemon juice or like a lemon seltzer. She comes back minutes later and probably realized her mistake and offered to bring me something else. Next they bring undercooked chicken and insist it is actually fully cooked. It isn't difficult to tell when a chicken thigh is undercooked. Overall not a great experience and I wouldn't recommend anyone going to this place for more than a drink & a snack. read more

Cute casual place for some drinks and tapas. Here you get a tapa with every free drink. The wine was a basic rioja, probably the cheap house wine in Spain but it was still good. The slices of jamon were good and service was friendly. It's located on a cute street with lots of tapas bars and there seemed to be a lot of locals here. read more

El Diario - Un tinto y una caña con tapas gratis - Restaurants Near Me - Madrid, M

Our happiest night in Madrid. We stopped at the Prado, the cathedral behind it, then another cathedral on a Friday evening during Lent. We were tired & hungry. El Diario looked beautiful from the outside and there was space in the marble-topped window seats. Our first round of Cana & Rioja came with a snack of pickles, fries, and grilled peppers, which the kids devoured. We ordered a canapé with Brie & anchovy, heated & cut into 3 pieces with more fries, which was amazing. Our son loves potatoes & we like it when he's happy while we are eating (aka NOT SCREAMING). Another round & another free plate of something amazing while I ordered the eel canapé, also served with something extra. We thought the word for eel was gula, which means gluttony, though it was something completely different. We do feel like gluttons here in Spain, however, and I'm pretty sure I will develop the rich man's problem of gout, as discussed in Poor Richard's Almanac, by the time we return, thankfully tomorrow. We ended with a plate of some cured pork product which was incredible. 5 stars for gorgeous ambience, a friendly & prompt staff, delicious food. 33EC for at least 6 plates of food, 3 rounds, and shots of aguardiente, the Spanish version of grappa. Bonus: there is a kid's park across the street. read more

After a long day of sightseeing we just wanted to sit down relax and have a drink. We sat at the bar and the staff was very pleasant. After ordering our beverages in the traditional spain way we were handed a small plate of tapas with some jamon. Next round of drinks came the cheese tapas. What a great way to enjoy the night. read more

I am giving them five stars mostly just because they were so nice. We were obviously disoriented from the rain and the riots and just needed a sanctuary. They were happy to let us just sit and drink and watch the sidewalks. Every now and then they would drop a small plate on our table to keep us going and it was always a welcome treat. The guys behind the bar are just too nice as were the clientele. I can't really say much about the food but it looked great. read more

It not great, it is it not awful. It hits the spot. A glass of wine is €2 but a bottle of water will cost you €5. The usual fare of tapas is available. Do not get the burrito. Burrito, you say? Yes. Makes no sense whatsoever but my son ordered it. I had the entrecôte and I found it to be perfectly fine. Service is a little slow but more courteous than at other places we have visited. read more

Delicious tapas. Excellent service. We stayed down the street and this place quickly became our fave neighborhood spot. Ask for Juan. He's gracious and attentive. And so much fun!! We watched an Iberico ham being carved and it was fascinating. So many knives and what skill!! read more