this place has excellent food, but make a reservation, or you'll be waiting a very long time, and may not get a table at all on the same day. The ambiance is cute, but basic. read more

One more star on the Instagram trail and I'd agree--it's our fault for not being more discerning or for staying on the beaten path. But Juana La Loca has an aseos issue. We sat at the bar, and all we could smell was the semi-clean bathroom--and I say that not from visiting it, but from the sheer odor. Things went south when a burly German Messerschmitt sat next to us and compounded the smell. I'm not being Teutonophobic--I'm just telling it like it was ( said every xenophobic ) The tortilla that lured us here was fine, but too sweet for my taste--like the rest of the pintxos. Or maybe it was the side of Clorox. read more

Someone recommended this place to my friend so we stopped by, and wow! Delicious. The Spanish "tortilla" was packed with flavor. The onions were jammy and so flavorful; they made this dish amazing. Definitely different from all the other tortillas I had. Grilled beef sweetbread bruschetta, with melted havarti cheese and chimichurri was rich but not filling, so I ordered the Red tuna tartar with wasabi pearls. My friend had the oxtail fajita- which she loved. All of the food we had here was great. I only wish we had been told that we could only get the dolce de leche volcano if we ordered it at the same time as our food. I was really looking forward to it. Instead we had the carrot and ginger pie (cake) with yogurt and the lemon pie. Of note, this place is small, so be prepared to wait. You can sit and eat at the bar. read more

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This place is packed but they have a waitlist system, you'd just have to stay in the bar in order to hear your name and take a seat. The tortilla was incredible. The caramelized onions were so well done the richness of flavor reminded me of French onion soup. It came with a bit of bread which I thought was excellent. Like whose gonna eat potato and egg on its own? The mushroom ravioli was actually not a real ravioli but an egg wrapping the truffle and mushroom contents. It was on top of a slice of bread as well. Staff are very professional and efficient, also very friendly and considerate. read more

Juana la Loca - Tortilla - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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Imagine the regular Spanish Tapas bar reimagined and elevated. You can still see the tradition but in a format that is more interesting and "chic" than the other bars you will find. You can tell the local people love it because of the line that forms even before opening. The place is small, crowded, and loud, so be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation. You can always opt to sit at the bar. Despite all that the food is heavenly good. The staff is attentive and will try their best to communicate in English if you need to. To start don't miss the Dulce the Leche Volcano desert and order it first thing WHEN you arrive so they can save you one! It will disappear fast and there's only a limited number. The food is varied and mostly small plates. The dishes are thoughtfully crafted, everything has very pronounced flavors, and is aggressively seasoned (in a very good way), so not the place if you have the tastebuds of a toddler. The highlight is the Oxtail with potatoes, it's to die for! Also don't forget to try their version of the Spanish tortilla. This is probably one of the few places where you can get the "tapas" experience, not requiring a sit-down arrangement, and still enjoy a fun bar that put as much effort on the food side of the equation. read more

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Per recommendation of our expat friend, we came here before opening to secure a walk-in spot. While we appreciate being seated and served the food just wasn't fit for our palette. As with most dining experiences in Spain it was way too salty, and if they dialed it back a lot everything would have been fantastic! read more

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Juana is hot and she knows it - a chic tapas and dinner spot near the main square and entertainment district of Madrid. The ideal situation is to get a reservation if you're planning on a) dinner, b) bringing more than 2 people, or c) arriving during peak hours, but if you've waited until the last minute to look for tapas places in Madrid (who, me?) or your party just can't seem to agree on what they're in the mood for, try your luck in line. The staff are all so friendly that they'll try to accommodate you if they can. They're also very efficient about moving people in and out. "How many? Dinner or tapas?" Bar seating is first come first serve for tapas tasters. We came just around opening time to catch a quick dinner before a flamenco show nearby. Promising that we would be out before a party with a reservation arrived an hour later, we were squeezed past the cozy bar area into a more tranquil set of tables in the back, where no music was playing and we were in line of sight of the kitchen, giving off a half-finished feel. The ambiance was still moody and classy, with a mossy divider and mirrored walls. And since my parents don't like shouting over loud music anyways, we were all okay with this arrangement. The food came out surprisingly quickly, almost too fast for me to rush to the bathroom before my family could start devouring it. The restrooms are narrow tidy stalls of yet more industrial chic with the exposed light fixtures to match. Traditional tapas this is not. Lots of fusion influences can be found throughout the menu and much of the appeal of Juana is feasting with your eyes. One stunner you'll have seen is the buttery, greasy Teriyaki Eel with Foie Gras Niguiris, or the tempura-ed Soft Blue Shell Crab in a Steamed Bun. The "Broken Eggs" with Black Truffle and Iberic Bacon is an elevated breakfast delight, the Truffled Risotto was creamy, filling, with the right amount of mushroom to cheese. Perhaps one of our favorites was the "Secreto" Iberican Pork over Fried Gernika Peppers, a tasty contrast of savory meat with bright peppery tang. In the midst of all our food, our servers forgot to bring out the Tortillas until we reminded them. By this time we were all pretty full and close to leaving for our show, so I don't think we enjoyed this as much as others have since it's also extremely dense, each wedge leavened on a chunk of baguette. Apparently you can even order these to go through Glovo, so if you don't feel like fighting the crowds for a taste, this is another option. I'm salivating while remembering our experience here and will definitely want to take my time to savor a more drawn-out dinner experience here next time. read more

This is my first meal in Spain, that is easily one of the best meals from the entire trip. The dining experience was fun, you can order food and drinks at the bar area while you wait for a table if you enjoy that. You do have to snag a good spot quickly or else its gone. I found the exceptional dishes to be the ox tail/tongue fajita that was really delicious and had a crispy cheese in it. The soft shell crab in a bun was an exceptional item. The items that I think are less worth the money are the eggplant and zucchini carpaccio which is pricy and you can easily get another item with seafood or meat Can get nice glasses of wine or beer for $4-5 euros. Only down side is how popular this place is and can easily spend hours there trying to order food and drinks and then waiting for it. The food is really flavorful, but on the well seasoned salty side, ao if you like subtle flavors not the place for you read more

Juana la Loca - Soft shell crab with bacon on bun - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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This was the first meal I had while visiting Madrid, and it exceeded my expectations. 5 out of 5 pogs. The service was amazing. The staff was super accommodating, and even though their first language wasn't English, they explained everything with care. We basically ordered the things they recommended, and I could not have been more satisfied. The tortilla is a MUST. I never knew potatoes, egg, and onions could be made so simply, yet so deliciously. Simple ingredients, but SO much flavor. Everything else was great too. The soft shell crab sandwich had so many different textures from the crab itself along with the masago that would crunch as you bite into the soft bun. The Teriyaki Eel with foie gras was an unexpected and tasteful combination. The steamed mussels has this sauce that was so good that we asked for extra bread to mop up every last bit. We wrapped up the meal with the tres leches, which was the perfect way to end an already phenomenal meal. I will definitely be coming back when I get the chance to visit Madrid again. Very pog. read more

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A nice hidden location in the La Latina district of Madrid. It is very popular, so make reservations! And once you taste the food, you'll know why it is so popular! The food tasted so fresh and tasty. Each bite is an amazing experience. The foie was so tasty, that we ordered another order of it. The only problem is that you want to taste everything but there is not enough room in your stomach. read more

Juana la Loca - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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A staple of Real Madrid gastronomy, energetic, great staff and service, wonderful Bar..reservations in advance.. just a fantastic place...a must in La Latina area..!!! read more

The ONLY bad thing I can say is that this place is sooo busy, you have to be a SHARK about getting a table. It is PACKED, so stealth mode must be in effect! Once seated, you are treated like a local who is well loved. Excellent appetizers that are fresh and mind-blowing (you seriously cannot choose a bad one), and fabulous love, attention and drink service. You'll leave with a smile on your face and feeling like a local. Excellent fresh food, excellent generous beverages. read more

We got here about 20 min before it opened on a rainy Thursday, the line started to form about 10 min after once the doors were open the restaurant was filled quick! But the wait and line is absolutely worth it (you can also reserve) our favorite were de gnocchi gratinados el pinxo de rabo de toro , excelente lugar para probar comida exquisita española , las mollejas tmbn un must lugar para foodies 100% read more

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I really enjoyed Juana la Loca. Full disclosure, you're going to find less expensive restaurants in the neighborhood but you won't find a better value in my opinion. Even with that said, it was very reasonable. The food was all great and the tortilla is the best I had in my time in Madrid (and I ate a lot). They do take reservations and it is a small space so you may want to do that, even for lunch. We walked up for lunch and there were some spots at the bar which were available without a reservation. read more

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Wasn't expecting to get a table at this very popular resto. But followed our "stomachs" lol. We were ready to wait, but somehow they sat us right away. Tip, come there before they open for dinner service. Started w/ the mushroom ravioli with shaved black truffle. Then we tried their famous "Tortilla". The Tuna Tartare with pearl onion was incredible. I am a sucker for Foie Gras. And this dish gave me orgasm in my mouth. Main dish we shared was pulled Oxtail on potatoes and it's on sauce. To finish the experience, Alex our server recommended the "Volcano", delicate dulce Leche inside and vanilla ice cream. It took an hour to prepare, so we ordered it in the beginning. Became friends with the staff, so naturally we had free drinks and great conversations. They shared their experiences traveling to the US and how nice people from California are. @itsnickduh read more

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After reading some reviews on this place, we stumbled in while visiting Madrid on a packed Wednesday night. If possible, and you're going on a weekend, do yourself a favor and make a reservation. We got lucky and snagged bar seats but the place was packed beginning to end. The atmosphere is cute and quaint. The food is simple and amazing. By far, the favorite was the tortilla. Not sure how they make this heavenly delight but it's served atop bread, tapas style, rather than on its own. I presume its also cut on the bread because the bread rests in the buttery oniony juices of the tortilla filling while soaking it all in. This is a must must just try and try again. Before taking my first bite of the tortilla, the baby eel was my favorite but this changed everything. Run don't walk and eat up. read more

Juana la Loca - Tortilla - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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Im so glad my cousin who lived in Madrid took me to Juana La Loca in the La Latina neighborhood. La Latina is packed with bars and restaurants, one of the most popular of which is Juana La Loca. It is a cute neighborhood gem. We went in almost 11pm and they were still packed. They call themselves a pintxo bar but the food goes above and beyond the conventional pintxo. We were seated right away despite not having a reservation. Just had to try their tortilla de patata. We ordered pintxos dishes were all bold and tasty in their own way, they were all still light enough to pair well with wine. Try their famous dish the tortilla de patatas: a buttery, melt-in-the-mouth tortilla, finished with a crispy outer layer and served on top of a slice of bread. The huevos rotos also delicious, either to share or as a ración for yourself: crispy, chewy, buttery fries topped with melting fried egg, small salty strips of jamón, salted pimientos de padrón and a shake of paprika, all served on a long plate. It's a little pricey to dine here but a nice treat when visiting Madrid! It is CASH only. It's a small wine bar/restaurant and fills up quickly in the evenings. Fun place for a small, dark, cosy and lively, Juana La Loca is perfect for place for a taste of Madrid! Fives stars for overall dining experience! read more

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Definitely excellent food here but be aware the descriptions are somewhat misleading by American definition. We had the "tortillas" that were potato slices on bread with a delicious gravy -- so good but nary a tortilla in sight. The soft shell crab sandwich was fantastic, with a fried soft-shell crab and greens on a very soft bun and green aioli. The "ravioli" was stuffed with very rich truffle on top of soft egg yolk with a white cream, so rich and gooey thick we literally couldn't stomach it. Everything around us looked excellent. A few nits, though. We arrived around 2:30 pm. The choice was to be put on a 30-45 minute list or hover around the bar to pounce on seats that might open up. We chose to squeeze into the very crowded space and await an opportunity to pounce. We were hungry so after about 10 minutes of glaring at lingerers, hanger set in. The people behind the counter never looked our way to take a drink order. As soon as one seat opened up I nabbed it. I had to wave the guy down to order two beers. I had to flag him down to ask if there were menus. He handed me a little laminated QR code from his pocket. The menu was in Spanish, natch, so got out Google Translate. Had to call out again to order. So, good food but expect a wait, have your menu translator ready, and plan to be aggressive if you sit at the counter. If you're not in the mood for that, you might look for something less busy. read more

Juana la Loca - The ravioli with mushroom and egg yolks. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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Thank you to my fellow yelpers!!! This place was incredible. We got there right at one when they opened. They were fully booked with reservations but let us sit down if we could order and eat within an hour.... challenge accepted!!!!!!!! We got the Spanish torta, softshell crab, duck confit wrap, risotto and volcano dessert along with a delicious bottle of wine! Everything was so delicious. It was different than any type of food I've ever had. The flavors were intriguing. I would order everything again!!! Our service was impeccable. read more

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We loved this place so much we came twice during our time in Madrid! Service was excellent. We tried the duck jamon, the gnocchi, the tortilla, and the foie gras. The duck was pretty good on its own but the rest of the components in the tapa were a little off. The foie was AMAZING. It came with this delicious walnut toast and was super tasty! Probably the best I've had in a while. The tortilla was good but served cold. The gnocchi deserves an award. It was the best gnocchi I've ever had. Little pillows of heaven. So good. No words. Just get it :). Highly recommend for value and taste! read more

Juana la Loca - Best gnocchi ever!!!! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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Fanfuckingtastic. I've been in Spain for a little less than 2 weeks and i finally had a five star meal. My first one in Madrid. Pricier than meals I've had in Barcelona and Seville, but a lot more impressive, and I mean, it's Madrid? Sunday right before it closed with a limited menu. Which their limited menu bites were mind blowingly delicious and their full menu looked next level. Shall I sneak off and leave my husband and baby behind for these unique, innovative tapas? The filet and quail egg was scrumptious. The spinach crepe with tender eel and the zucchini wrapped cod were excellent. All topped on toast and were perfect large bites. Their famous Spanish potato tortilla was perfection, a gratin of sorts sans cheese. And that leave me with the chivito sandwich. What is a chivito, you ask? My husband has been talking about this sandwich for a decade. Growing up, one of his best friends was Uruguayan and his parents owned a deli and would make this legendary sandwich and John couldn't find it anywhere. Madrid, baby. And it was everything. It's pricier, but filling and absolutely delicious. Thin pounded beefsteak, topped with ham, a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg, lettuce, tomato, mayo on a perfectly soft roll. It was delicious. Again, a little pricey, I think about $14 euros, which for me in USD is about $17, but honestly, I'd buy it again and again. The space is hip. They service perfect. I'm sure it's hopping at normal Spanish eating hours, read: 9/10pm. However, I'm feeling real good about myself that I was able to snag this deliciously epic meal with the babes en tote. Final damage: about 50 euros for a beer, a wine and 4 fancy and hearty tapas and a sandwich. Not the cheapest spot around, but high quality and delicious. read more

Juana la Loca - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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Maybe one of my favorite restaurants ever! This place is delicious if you manage to squeeze your way in. If you can make reservations I highly recommend doing so. They have a bar area you can stand and eat at, but it's packed. We got there right as they opened and there was already no room. They specialize in Pintxos, which are basically tapas on a slice of bread. Don't worry because they have a Spanish and English menu. TORTILLA - The best tortilla I've ever had in Spain. Crusted well, great flavors, potatoes and eggs are out of this world. SECRETO - Iberic Ioin of pork cooked to perfection, topped with a bit of tomato and placed on top of peppers. Great cooked pork with some great flavors. COD - You wouldn't even know that it was cod it was so perfectly cheesy. It's served with some peppers which gave it some great flavors that cod usually lacks. read more

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Almost 5 years later, and Juana la Loca is still my favorite spot in Madrid. Everyone that visits me is taken for at least a slice of tortilla and a glass of Txacolina, and when we can, a sit-down dinner. Favorites: forever and always the delicious, caramelized-oniony tortilla; the mozzarella/sundried tomato/anchovy pintxo; and the cod gratin pintxo (among many, many others). The service is still incredible and fun. My recommendation is to either make a reservation or to arrive right at opening time. Don't rule out standing and eating at the bar! read more

Juana la Loca - Tortilla - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

Me encanta este lugar es muy acogedor y la comida es muy buena el servicio satisfactorio

This food made me feel like I hadn't eaten in years. Me and my family were like feral dogs after this food. The clams, the oxtail, the TORTILLA, ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!! Literally don't even go because your ass will never be able to taste food again after this shit it was too good! TEN CUIDADO , HOMBRE! Super yummy :) read more

We came here to try tapas that were a little bit more upscale than what we had been eating. It did not disappoint. We got right in and sat at the bar. We ordered a lot of different things. Most memorable were the tortilla and the dulce de leche cake for Desert. On our 2 week trip to Spain this food was our favorite. read more

Juana la Loca - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

Fantastic restaurant. Great vibe, solid wine list, creative and fresh pinchos. Highly recommended!

Best meal I ate in Madrid. As is customary in Spain, you pay per bottle of water at the table (1 liter given at a time usually into small tumblers), and there is a non optional "bread" fee that ranges 2-3 euro per person thats sorta of like a tax here in Madrid. Tax and water per person is usually already around $5 just FYI, before even considering cost of food. Not only was our waiter entertaining and funny, he was thoughtful and spaced out the courses so we would not run out of table space. We ordered 11 or so dishes and shared them among our family of 6. All of us had an order of salmorejo (cold tomato soup blended with bread) which was the most rich, vibrant, smooth and flavorful tomato anything I have tasted. It was amazing. Wish I had gone back another time on this trip. The highly recommend suckling pig, ceviche with truffle oil, and the crab and tuna tartar were simply fantastic. There was a long wait (45 mins at 9pm-the Spanish like to eat LATE) for a table for 6, but we wandered around for other standing tapas and came back in time to have our name called. 10/10 experience in food, ambiance, service, and cultural experience. This was night one and nothing truly topped this meal or these vibes for the rest of the trip. read more

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One of The BEST places I visited while on my trip. My friends and I came back multiple times because the food was so delicious and the service was great. I will say, You really can't order anything bad here. Cannot recommend this place enough :) read more

Juana la Loca - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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We visited here during a tapas tour of Madrid. We ordered our drinks and were served a light tapa. We then ordered the tortilla. It is a little fancier than your typical tortilla española, and it was delicious. Service was fantastic and I would definitely go back for a full sit-down meal. read more

Juana la Loca - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

We saw this place on yelp and it was rated really good so we decided to try it out. We ordered the wild mushroom egg yolk and truffle ravioli and the pork loin. The pork loin was amazing and the sausage on top melts in your mouth. We ended up getting a third dish, the oxtail, because we were still hungry. Everything was amazing!! would recommend read more

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The best tapas that we have had in Spain! We had the Spanish tortilla, tuna tartar & the iberic loin of pork. The pork loin and tuna tartar were absolutely out of this world! Would highly recommend. read more

Juana la Loca - Ibéric Loin of Pork - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

This was my favorite restaurant in Madrid. The service was exceptional and the food was mind blowing. The pork dish had just the right amount of flavor. The risotto you could taste the truffles and it was so creamy. The dulce de leche dessert is something I never had before. It a molten caramel cake and ice cream. What is not to love. We stopped i this place when we settled in our spot. It was a welcomed refuge from the rain. I finished of the evening with a cup of chamomile tea and my friend with a beer. I would come back to Madrid just for this place. read more

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Great place. Stumbled in there after the bull fights. Crowded but a friendly crowd. The manager seeing we were from out of town asked for 15 minutes. Boom. We were in and seated. Now in Spain you drink wine by the bottle never by the glass. Eating at a tapas bar? It's like eating at a Chinese restaurant. You can't go wrong with spanish ham on bread with olive oil and tomato. One of these one of these two of these etc. Hey you are on vacation. Now we were helped by different waiters but everything was great. read more

Juana la Loca - Entrance to the place. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Madrid, M

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I was in search of food after flying into Barcelona and taking the train into Madrid. Juana la Loca was highly rated and within walking distance to my AirBnb so I decided to give it a try. Like many places in Spain, the kitchen closes between lunch and dinner so we had to wait until the restaurant re-opened @ 7pm. While we waited for the kitchen to open, we had some starters to coat our stomachs. My favorite things here were the sea bass and the risotto. Oh and the lava cake. In addition to the food the waiters and host were attentive, very nice and knowledgeable about the menu. Definitely a good spot for a trip to Madrid. read more

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My boyfriend and I spent nearly a month traveling between 4 different countries and both agreed that Juana la Loca was the most incredible meal we had during our entire trip. Our Airbnb was walking distance so we found ourselves indulging here 3 of the 5 days we spent in Madrid. We fell in love with each dish we ordered, but our favorites were the fresh mussels in white wine and curry cream (weekends only) and their world famous Spanish tortilla. The mussels were so fresh and packed with a subtle, yet delicious curry kick. An order of mussels also comes with a side of french fries, which are perfect for dipping into the remaining cream sauce. And oh, I can't forgot to mention THE TORTILLA! Layers of thinly sliced potatoes, eggs and caramelized onions atop a warm, rustic baguette... Who can resist? We ordered the tortilla at every tapa bar we tried, but there was absolutely no comparison. Yes, it's slightly pricier than the other tapas bars found in Madrid, but so incredibly worth it. 10/10 would recommend to anyone on the search for the best and most authentic cuisine in all of Spain! read more

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The food was great. Wonderful Tapas restaurant with dishes that have great combinations of flavors. The house beers were nice. Don't try to walk in without a reservation because it's so popular, you'll wait a VERY long time for a table. You can eat a full menu at the bar which is where we ate (standing room only). We had the appetizer that is one of dishes they are know for. It's looks like a large slice of apple pie, but instead of apples, it's potatoes and instead of sweet, it's savory. It was "lick the plate" good! Service was nice, fast and attentive. Don't forget, in Europe they don't want to make you feel rushed, so you need to ask for the check when you're ready to pay. read more

Wikipedia tells us that Joanna was "Queen of Castile from 1504, and of Aragon from 1516. Modern Spain evolved from the union of these two crowns." She was also known as Joanna the Mad, or Juana La Loca. The woman who runs the Madrid restaurant named for this queen is clearly not mad. But she has created a madly creative, delicious, and thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. We went for lunch and had an assortment of pintxos, tapas-like small plates. The menu here offers various categories -- "In a Hurry," "Fanciful," and "Intense." We found every one we ordered intensely fanciful, demanding that we not hurry through any of them. The "Chinese bun" was a wonderfully succulent combination of pork belly, wasabi, and fried onion. The "secreto," Iberic loin of pork, sobrasada, and Gernika peppers, made clear why chefs often keep this cut of pork to themselves. The "Spanish tortilla," with eggs, potato, and onion confirm, was the best we had our entire time in Spain. From the "generous dishes" menu section, we tried the black fideuá -- paella with noodles instead of rice -- with homemade squid sausage. We may never be satisfied with traditional paella -- or pasta -- again. Great desserts? Yes, indeed. A killer wine list? Of course. A comfortable, modern space with friendly, helpful, knowledgeable servers? Yes, yes, and yes. Make your time in or near Madrid even more delicious, for at least one meal. Eat at Juana La Loca, and fall madly in love. read more

Omg. Freaking amazing delicious. Gnocchi. Oxtail. Truffle eggs. Foie gras. If you don't come and devour the food here you made a huge mistake. read more

One of my faves in Madrid. Casual, small, lively, great food and great people. You should go! read more