Memorable dinner provided by Johan and Julie last night. Great recommendation on food and ambience. We had a great time! They also were able to accommodate a last minute reservation for our large group. Great job by the chef! read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

During a recent Madrid visit, I tried this restaurant. We were seated instantly in a mostly empty space, enjoying super quick and friendly service, especially from our helpful Columbian waiter. I can't remember his name, but he was attentive to us. We ordered seafood paella and the candied suckling pig. The paella came fast and hot, but lacked flavor, and the fish was too soft. The suckling pork was tender with mild sauce but just okay; its missing mashed potatoes and quick cooling were drawbacks. It probably would've been better served in a bowl. Despite the food being only decent, the complimentary potato salad and a potent bottle of Orujo Blanco were nice touches - this was definitely some of the strongest alcohol I've ever had. The old-world charm and cozy "grandma's dining room" ambiance were definitely appreciated. read more

Los camarero increíbles. Nos aconsejaron genial . Nos comemos la paella y el octopus y estuvo delicioso. Recomiendo este sitio. Increíble Hillary was absolutely amazing in accompanying my australian partner, she made sure to talk to me in Spanish while including my only English speaking partner. Will be coming back. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

Really cute, AUTHENTIC, family-owned restaurant down an alley in Madrid. My spouse and I ordered an octopus appetizer and a lobster stew. I really enjoyed both dishes- I wish the stew would've had MORE lobster meat in it though. The service and the experience we gained was the best part about this restaurant. The walls are covered in photos of the original owner (Esteban) and several celebrities that have eaten in the restaurant. All of the staff came by our table to see how we were doing and to make conversation, you really feel like part of the family by the end of the meal. At the end of dinner we were treated to a couple delicious limoncello shots!! Note- the staff doesn't speak MUCH English (thankfully my boyfriend spoke Spanish because I couldn't have gotten by on my own). read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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The taste of the food here was good period the suckling pig was actually very delicious. However, it was literally the size of a large spare pork rib. When were the family we were a group of approximately 5, 3 of which were teenagers. when I ordered the appetisers, I asked what the portion was, and I was told it had eight portions. What I wasn't told is that each portion was a little bit bigger than the size of a quarter at which point, I known I would've ordered two or three of them. The gazpacho was okay. That was a little bland and this is coming from someone who doesn't even like black pepper. In the second drawer of the bathroom in the brownish bag, open it up and there's a little blue thing. The service was good. However, the restaurant was empty. They brought bread to the table. However, it was warm., felt kind of stale and they didn't bring any oil or butter, or anything to put on the bread. The place is very pretty and quaint has a nice ambience. For a table of five, I did not have any alcohol or desserts with gratuity. We spent €250. If you go, the food is good, I wouldn't go back. read more

Omg ok the paella here is sooo good! It comes LOADED with shrimp, mussels, and fish. And the portions are very large too. I definitely recommend a reservation because this place gets busy. read more

We had walked past another restaurant in the neighborhood what was deserted (although at 7pm the hour was early) and El Rincon looked welcoming and people were at the bar and little tables. We were greeted in Spanish but the bartender/waiter quickly adapted due English to our limited skills in Spanish. He helped us decide on wine...Rioja was very good...and of course the wine was served with complimentary tapas. Think sliced ham on crusty bread. We ordered acorn ham and mushrooms sautéed with garlic. The ham was tender and had a mild flavor and cost 29 EU. The mushrooms were 10 EU and were a big plateful. So savory and delicious I want to make them at home. Decor inside was like old Roman brick...the skinny bricks...and the groups of locals talking and laughing made us feel as if we had discovered a non tourist gem. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Tapas and Rioja - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

Tourist trap. If you want to feel like you're eating at a Spanish restaurant in the U.S. while you're in Madrid (and pay as if you're eating in the U.S.) this is the place for you. Entrées are around €30-€40 each. Eating in Madrid is not expensive. This place preys on tourists who don't know any better. read more

Surprisingly delicious. My husband and I chose a place close to the hotel for paella. Then we ordered something totally different. We started with anchovies, which were served with tomato toast & were pretty good! I didn't eat the bread but the anchovies were tasty. Entrées were fantastic! My husband had the roast pork & decided it was so good that it goes in the list. The list refers to anything that deserves a return visit. I had the lamb shoulder & it too deserved another visit. Both were roasted goodness on a plate. Not what I expected, but surprisingly tasty. Don't miss out! read more

The paella is world class primo! But the desserts are bar raising stupendous. The cheese cake!! Omg made with the house cheese! The other must have is the twice baked brioche with coconut cream! Absolutely Magnificent! read more

Great authentic Spanish restaurant that is run by a gentleman who has been doing it for many years. Great wine list that's has something for everyone. Food was well done, real good home style local cuisine. I had a seafood stew that was unique to Madrid area. Of course the sliced ham and olives were out of this world!! Enjoy! read more

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It wouldn't be a trip to Spain without a nice big bowl of Paella. So when it came time to choose my first dinner in Madrid, I trucked it on over here and got the business. The restaurant has, what I would imagine to be, an old school Spain atmosphere. Both decor and set up give off a very authentically traditional vibe. I knew what I wanted, so I dove into the traditional Paella and stuffed my face. It was very good and had all the flavor a I would expect a good paella dish to have. The chicken and beef were cooked perfectly, and mixed well with the rice. As good as it was, I must say that I have had better. This isn't a bad thing, but given I was having it in Spain, I was hoping to be blown away. The service was excellent and the staff had just as much charm as the restaurant did. The vibe was laid back and there is a cool bar area by the front door that's good for grabbing a drink or even dining there. Overall a very good experience. read more

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Service- was interesting,...they don't ask if you are done before taking food away, nor do they ask if would like to take any left over food. Other than that people were friendly, but are acutely aware if you are a tourist, and will be sure to make recommendations of the most expensive items on the menu if you dare ask for a recommendation. Taste- the tapas olives were the best I have ever had, but aside from that, food was mediocre and not worth the price. My partner and I shared the bone in rib eye, and this was too much food for the both of us, and the food itself was not great. At first they served it extremely rare, so we asked if they can cook it more, but that didn't help much because the meat was hard and chewy! The seasoning itself was pretty basic, S&P. Tourist trap- This was the first place where We dined when we first landed in Madrid. Ever since, I take precaution to research restaurants thoroughly, and we have paid about one third of what we paid for at least this place, for way better tasting food. read more

6 Euro cover charge for a hunk of stale bread and a few olives. The sweet potato mash was dry and lumpy. The fries that came with my stake we're soggy and tasteless. My dining partner's fish was served raw. The staff took little responsibility for the issue and still charged us full price for the meal. This restaurant has high end pricing and sub-par food. I would warn anyone against eating here. read more

Open early from 6 PM, made reservation at 6 :30. Food and service are good. Only a couple of people speak English. It worth to try, have a good desert manual as well. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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Great service and ambience. Quality of food is excellent. If you stay in Westin Palace, this is a must go!

Excellent place. Wide array of food choices and very helpful service. Gaspacho -- excellent. Ensalada -- fresh and generous portion. Paella -- great. read more

Stay away, recommended by my hotel which should've been my first warning.Total tourist place. Food was fair but Service was horrible. I ordered 2 appetizers and a main course. After 10 minutes the waiter came back and said he didn't have either appetizers. read more

Stopped in here on our last night in Madrid!! We saved. The best for last. Felt authentic and "old school." Our waiter spoke excellent English. He was funny and very helpful. We shared some excellent apps and then had beef tenderloin and lamb for entrees. Both were great but the lamb stole the show. Excellent wine list with fair prices. We had a Vega Sicilia for close to the price you might find online. Will go back next trip!! read more

During our recent stay in Madrid, we had dinner there a couple of times. No matter what appetizer or main you order - be sure, it would be cooked to perfection. The staff and Don Esteban himself will welcome and take great care of you. Their menu is extensive, but there is no need for detailed description of the dishes, my pictures tell it all. And they have a dessert chef too... P.s You will walk off these calories, as you mostly walk up the streets in the center of Madrid. read more

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Fantastic local authentic food. Our taste buds went from surprise to surprise and adding to that a truly great service made this the perfect experience. read more

Incredible dining experience. Excellent food, great wine, and very personal service. Our best meal on our trip to Spain. Quaint atmosphere and Estaban is there making sure that your dining experience is all that you expect and more. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

This is an expensive restaurant. $84 euros for paella, sparking water and a glass of wine. They give you bread which seems complimentary but they charge you 6 euros. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

We went here on our first night in Madrid. It was right by our hotel so it was a very easy walk. We were sat right away and he offered us an olive appetizer and was very nice when we said we didn't eat olives so he brought us a salmon appetizer. The bottle of wine we ordered was his recommendation- good and not too expensive (24 euros). My boyfriend liked his steak and I liked the croquettes we ordered. The total bill was slightly expensive but they were very attentive and we enjoyed our food. read more

Sometimes you get suspicious when a place has people standing outside handing out flyers. But this place has delicious food. It is not overly crowded for whatever reason and you get a great meal. For starters they gave us bread and green olives. I am not a fan of olives but these beautiful green olives I devoured because they were mildly flavoured with vinegar and all you taste is the actual olive, which is bright. Afterwards we got our gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimps). Oh my giddy aunt they were delicious, lip smacking goodness with hints of charred salt. For our entree, we shared seafood paella and the steak. The paella was tasty with monk fish, calamari, shrimp and some vegetables. The steak with perfectly cooked potatoes was textbook delicious. Charred and righteously medium rare and all the fat inact! I am proud to say I was the one who gnawed on the bone and the server gave me a surprised look when he cleared out my plate with a shiny bone. We were so full afterwards that we bowed out of dessert. But they gave us complimentary bottles of liquor and mini ice creams. We were happy and sated. Ready to do it all over again!! The steak can be shared between two people and the presentation of the paella and steak were awesome:) read more

Went here four years ago on our last trip to Spain and it was really quite spectacular. Made reservations here on Christmas Eve through Tripadvisor and when we arrived the restaurant was closed. Came back a week later because we felt we had to eat here again- and was very disappointed. Tourists (mostly Americans) are funneled here from the Westin Palace hotel concierge. I ordered the suckling pig... A dish had a few days ago at En Busca Del Tiempo. .. Needless to say it was extremely dry and I didn't even finish it. Wines here are generally double the price at other 4.5 star establishments. My guess is they are preying on the naïveté of the American tourist. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

The best meal during the Spain trip. One of the best meals of my life. The hospitality, the food, the drinks, the desserts everything was a once in a lifetime experience. Food Quality - Excellent Food Taste - Excellent Food Originality - Excellent Price - Excellent Customer Service - Excellent Ambiance - Excellent read more

Great restaurant with wonderful seafood & service. Started with an Artichoke dish shared, beautiful. We both went for the sole meunière which was outstanding. Javier our server was great and brought us an aperitif to finish the meal. One of the few restaurants in the area open on Monday. A side note, we were there the Monday after a long weekend in January so it was very quiet. read more

El Rincon de Esteban - Javier with the barrils in the background - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

This restaurant provides you Spain on every plate. The service comes with a smile and if you speak Spanish there is a story with each plate served. A must if you are in Madrid. read more

Yes, yes and yes! Fantastic service and food from start to finish. We shared the Paella de pollo for 2 and it was magnificent. Esteban, at least we think it was Esteban, was strolling about making sure all the tables were happy. Festive crowd who mostly started filing in around 10 PM. We arrived around 8:45 and the place was blissfully empty. Charming space which elevated our dining experience. read more

Fabulous restaurant. Reasonable prices. Good wine list. Excellent service. Well prepared food. Traditional Spanish restaurant. Not modern. Cosy. We can't wait to go back again. What else is there to say? read more

This place is a gem. Esteban and his skilled, attentive staff will insure a great Madrid experience. We went on a Monday evening at about 7:15, and we got seated without waiting. That could not have happened an hour later; it was packed. The apertifs were exceptional, the service first class. Personal attention by yhe owner. read more

Last year, I literally "stumbled upon" this excellent, local, long-time Madrid restaurant nearby the Westin Palace where I was staying. This year, I insisted my Son join me there -- and we were both. We had a terrific evening! Great food, great wine, great service, and a warm visit from the elderly founder. We had Salmrajo soup, Gazpacho, Huevos Patatas, and Rabo Toro Madrileva - all delicious! We were treated to their homemade Grapa. This is now on my list of "must go to" when I am in Madrid! read more

Very nice atmosphere. Service was very good. Food was good, too. And price was moderate. The owner, a nice guy but a bit too "gushy". read more

Food was good. Servers were friendly however language barrier prevented them from answering questions about menu. Ordered prawns but they were size of shrimp. Lamb chops had more fat than anticipated. Bread was already on table prior to being seated but it was tasty Liked the surprise complimentory after dinner liquor and ice cream treats! read more

We were offered very favorable reviews (including on yelp). Well ignore those and ignore this restaurant. Only good dish was a last minute substitute of grilled mushrooms. The first was an indescribable concoction with mushrooms and a cheesy seafood sauce that my wife could not stand and hence, we got the good grilled mushrooms. We had a roasted leg of lamb that scored 75/40 (her/me). And a sirloin steak 50:50. They gave us grappa that I am sure will be used to get the 767 home on Delta. Also there were some little desert thingies. Two were wrapped in plastic and were slightly less hard than the table top. In short, there has to be a better less expensive way, even on a Sunday in Madrid. read more

As you can tell by my many reviews, I'm a huge steak fan and had been craving one while in Madrid. Not knowing where to go and who would have my bone in ribeye available, I was lucky enough to walk by El Rincon where I saw the cuts they had available being displayed in the front window. Sure enough, there was my bone in ribeye! This one was even age dried which made it even better! The wife and I made it back to our hotel and called in reservations. For an appetizer we had fried calamari which was very fresh and delicious! For dinner my wife had a filet that cut like butter and had great flavor! I went with the bone in ribeye which was everything I could have asked for! Only down side was our side orders. We ordered rice and for some reason it was drowned in garlic. I love garlic and can eat it by itself but this was overboard! Other than that the meal was great, the wine selection was perfect and the service was spot on all night! read more

Really good meal. Excellent "old world" atmosphere. Extremely friendly staff were great with our kids (11 & 12). Ham was excellent and carved right in the dining room. Lamb chops were very thin and almost bereft of meat. Gazpacho was excellent as were the deserts. The friendliness of the staff and Esteban cannot be overstated. read more

I came in here while on a business trip, by myself, at the recommendation of hotel concierge. Beautiful interior and clearly passionate staff but a series of mishaps occurred: I was seated and a waiter came up to me - after a while waiting - to take my order before I even had a menu. I also did not receive a wine menu so just guessed at a white wine, which they brought. Later I asked for another wine but could not get a word in edgewise before the waiter rushed off - I wanted to switch to red for my main meal and he brought me another white - and not the same quality as the one I had had before. The six-item salad de casa was delicious even though I had no explanation of what it was beforehand (again, I just guessed!). Then the main order came out - it was the wrong order. I ordered wild boar and they brought pork suckling - which I hear is delicious but was not in the mood for!! Overall I felt rushed by non-attentive waiters who probably viewed me as an annoying American, but sheesh. I come from NYC where turning over tables is the name of the game, and this experience ranks up there with one of the most bizarre I've had. Also beware : I did not want bread but the server put it on my plate and rushed off before I could decline...I didn't eat it and was charged for it anyway. AND when I was paying via credit card, the server did not ask me to leave a tip on the portable credit card machine, and after he printed the receipt he very directly said "service is not included." Well sorry, I didn't have any local currency on me and the service was terrible, but as someone who is used to tipping in the States, I did feel a bit bad about this part....but get it together!!! read more

"Wow" doesn't do this place justice. Hotel Villa Real recommended this restaurant around the corner from the hotel and we could not be any happier with our last dinner experience in Madrid. The owner, Esteban, and his staff are so attentive and made incredible recommendations from the elaborate menu. The food was simple, fresh, and just mouth watering. We ordered a starter of Iberian ham and traditional white fish a la plancha which was accompanied by a side of grilled tomato and boiled potatoes. Amazing! By the end of dinner, it felt like you're part of the family as Esteban and his staff check in constantly and treated us to some complimentary after dinner drinks and friendly conversation. It was a memorable experience and we'll certainly be back- we'd still be there if we weren't almost the last to leave. Thank you! read more