You thought I was lying, but I really wasn't. Here's part 2 my friends... So the shrimp is rubbery, the chicken is overcooked, and mind you this is dark meat, how can you overcook dark meat chicken, but yet have the rice perfect? This makes no sense to me. But why in the world is the rice so bland? 2nd plate comes out, no shrimp, no mussels, no big pieces of chicken 3rd plate comes out. Little did I know plate 1 contained all the shrimp, mussels and big pieces of chicken in my paella... There was a lot of squid and maybe 3 small pieces of fish and chicken and some pork. No wonder the rice wasn't that flavorful. These guys are very quick to get the check and get payment, but slow on service. Do you know how long I had to wait for this waiter to serve me my 2nd and 3rd plate? He even walked by me and my empty plate at least 5 times each time before refilling, which brings me back to my earlier point of leave the paella on my table so I can serve myself. I still question why the Manager is the only one taking orders. It was super slow, even though half the place was empty, what happens if you had a full house? You would be quite screwed. I guess flipping tables isn't a concern for them. Anyways would I go back? Probably not. Did the food meet up to my expectations? NO. Is there a redeeming factor? Hm... When you are ready to leave, you can basically leave right away cause they are that quick with the check. read more

This is definitely a TOURIST TRAP. We made a reservation well in advance for our first dinner in Madrid. We were actually excited to try the paella as we have read so many good reviews about it. We ordered the Marinere of the House Paella and 1/2 liter of the Sangria. The paella had so little seafood in it, not to mention that the seafood didn't even taste fresh! It was just flavourless. The sangria was meh, we probably had better sangria back in Toronto. Everything here is just overpriced for the quality of food that they offer. Towards the end of our dinner, we saw a large group of chinese tourists with their tour guide came out from the private dining area of the restaurant. We could not help to think that this restaurant is geared towards serving big tour groups that do not know/care much about whether the food are up to local standards. Would not recommend to anyone. read more

La Barraca - Manchego cheese - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

We were fortunate enough to make a reservation on the day of Christmas via their e-mail. There were people waiting outside before the restaurant even opened. We were taken to our table right away underground. We ordered the bread with anchovies, calamari, mussels and what we thought was just two paellas (one serving each). We had misunderstood the description about ordering paellas and thought we had to order two kinds but it was actually that one order has to be two servings. We ended up ordering four servings, which was A LOT. We ordered rice from the countryside and mariniere paella. Both were outstanding. Also, we ordered the mussels without reading the description (our fault). We automatically assumed that they would come in a bowl with some soup but it was a plate with mussels covered with sauce and cheese. They were okay, a little disappointing. This definitely a nicer restaurant that you want to have an authentic Spanish meal experience at. Make sure you make a reservation for holidays or weekend. read more

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La Barraca is one of my favorite restaurants in Madrid, especially when it comes to Paella dishes, but I haven't been back in over 10 years, so I decided to see if it was still at the top of my list. I ordered the Paella Marinera, which is one of their seafood Paellas. La Barraca is known for their Paella and rice dishes, so make sure you try one of those offerings. They used to specialize in short grain rice Paella, but mine came with a mixture of short and long grain rices. Still very good, but I feel like the short grain only rice was a little better quality overall. The seafood was of good quality and very tasty. Only one prawn was overcooked, but all other seafood was perfectly cooked, and the rice was al dente. They have a "new" rule where you can only order one Paella for a party of two, so the price they show is per person. I'm not sure when this rule came to be, but it may not be new. If you happen to be eating by yourself (as I was this night), you'll have way too much Paella with the minimum order. Basically, you're paying double the price of what you would in the past. Their Paella used to be personal sized for one, so that was a let-down. The Rioja wine was perfectly paired with my meal, and the bread, garlic dip, and black olives were amazing. Even though I feel the food is more expensive at a slightly lower quality than what I've experienced in the past, I still feel the service and quality meet or exceed any Paella you can get in Madrid (minus my Mother-in-law's). read more

La Barraca - Paella Marinera - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

The paella was just okay. I read all the great reviews and thought that this place would be awesome, but it wasn't. There was minimal seafood, and some of the shrimp wasn't even fresh. There was only one waitress and she looked pissed off as hell. read more

Fancy! Beautiful interior. Amazing paella and sangria. I can eat it all day long. read more

After 2 weeks in Spain, I still hadn't eaten paella. The desk guy at the ALoft where we were staying told us to go here. It was around 1:30pm so we didn't bother to make a rez. They seated us, but first had to "hunt" for a table. Most tables did fill but I don't think seating us was really an issue altho I'd suggest calling ahead. The decor is charming and several rooms create nice atmosphere and not a loud visiting volume which I appreciate. Our waiter was as pleasant as he could be. We wanted paella but none of the offerings was exactly what we wanted. He was able to delete the squid and some other fish while adding a bit more of what we liked for the same price. Very accommodating. My friend enjoyed a nice salad while I began with gazpacho which I'm going to miss the availability of now that I'm back in the US. We ended with a yummy dessert. Our dining experience took about 2 hours. We never felt rushed or pressured. I'd sure go back! read more

Saw this place listed on best paella restaurants in Madrid. Since they were open on a Monday and close to our hotel, I emailed for a reservation and got an immediate response. We were a little late but they seated us right away. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria. It was tasty, not too strong. Since it was a late night dinner we didn't get any starters. But they looked amazing. You could make a meal of a couple of starters. They cautioned us that paella takes 30 minutes. No problem for us. 20 minutes later we had a beautiful paella. At 17 euro each, we felt it was well priced. Service was pleasant and attentive. They didn't speak much English, which lends to the locals vibe. The decor was lovely, it felt fancy but not stuffy. My husband had decaf espresso with hot water to make cafe Americano decaf. He said it was great. Again, the desert menu was extensive (for Madrid) with at least 10 choices. We passed as it was already 10pm. Time for bed. I would go back and recommend to others who can't get to Valencia for paella. read more

La Barraca - My husband with Paella Valenciana and a pitcher of Sangria - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

I was unsure how to rate this place because the food itself was VERY good, but part of the service was HORRIBLE. The lady who greeted/seated us started off sour because we were tourists with no reservations, which she seemed to not like even though the place was loaded with empty tables. She also waited on us part of the dining experience and was rude during the whole ordering process and just made us feel uncomfortable with her attitude. When a couple came in and sat near us, we witnessed her doing the same to them too. We of course ordered the Paella because this is supposed to be THE PLACE for it. It was our first time trying it in Spain and despite the bad service, we were looking forward to trying it. They bring out complimentary bread, olives, and this garlic sauce. I'm not sure if the garlic sauce is meant to be eaten with the Paella, but MAN it went together so well. They bring out the Paella, show it to you, and then mix it up and divide it evenly amongst the amount of people you have. Because of this, it's only served to more than 2 people. I wish the Paella had more seafood because it was a lot of rice, but it was definitely flavorful and yummy rice! read more

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La Barraca was recommended by our tour guide on the first day we arrived in Spain. We did not have a reservation but were able to get seated within ten minutes. There is a lot of stuff on the menu but everyone around us was ordering paella so that we did. We got one of the multiple seafood paellas, which had shrimp, king prawns, mussels, calamari, clams, and fish. It was very tasty and filling, and elevated with a squeeze of lemon. The cost was high (minimum order for 2, and it was 19 Euros per person) but in my opinion, it was very high quality and looked a lot better than some of the patio cafes that Eric R. ordered paella from later in the trip. read more

La Barraca - Paella con mariscos - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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Ugh, unfortunately, not the best paella I've had in my life. I suspected this would be a tourist trap and we were right. Seriously, where were the crispy burnt bits? The rice was also severely undercooked and under-flavored. We got the mixta (fish, prawns, squid, chicken) and like others have mentioned, the fish and chicken were chalk-dry and devoid of any salt. Even the sad little Spanish tortilla starter was bland and lifeless. I was hoping for a paella nirvana and instead had to settle for a "well at least we can say 'we tried it.'" The service was stellar, as it should be considering what you're paying for. read more

La Barraca - Paella mixta - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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Hola Madrid Yelpers!!! After researching on a place to have Paella for the first time I ended up at La Barraca on my last night in Madrid. Love love love it! I made reservations... but be prepared to wait 30 mins for your paella to be cooked! If you're in madrid you have to stop here for your paella fix! Having dinner here was def a highlight of my vacation/time in Madrid! Gracias La Barraca! read more

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We went there for the paella, price was fair I would say, but for me it goes into the category "fancy dining", not really for me, but still fair Paella is like ~17€ and a big sangria to share is ~12€ just go give some info on the prices. Paella was good, but probably not the best I've ever eaten. Go there with your girlfriend I'd say, not with ur pals (like I did...) Service was quite good (after a slow start) as many spanish restaurants, the place opens up at 8pm ;) read more

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Looking for an good paella experience in Madrid, I turned to the Devour Tours recommendations (https://devourtours.com/blog/top-places-for-paella-in-madrid/?cnt=ES). One of them is La Barraca, which is near our hotel. We headed there today after we checked in. We were greeted by the host who promptly offered us a table. He took care of us at first, taking our drink order. Then our waitress took our food order. We prefer meat to seafood rice dishes so we ordered the mushroom and ham one. We munched on bread as we waited for our meal. Once the paella was ready, our waitress plated it before serving it to us. For dessert we ordered the cake called crime by chocolate cake. It came with a scoop of ice cream, which I enjoyed more than the cake. But my husband loved the cake, as he's more of a chocola-holic than I am. Our only complaint is our waitress- she came across angry and surly the entire time. She smiled once at my husband but only because we were leaving. I'm taking off one star for that. I would definitely recommend La Baracca if you're looking for amazing paella rice dishes! read more

Superb experience. On a one-week visit to Spain, I intended to eat paella once--just once. So it had to be the best, which La Barraca purported to be. Actually, it also came highly recommended from multiple sources. They have a more upscale setting and higher prices than an average cafe or tapas bar, but it's all worth it. Tourists--save this outing for when you want to class it up and are not afraid to spend a little more. I spent ten seconds looking at the menu: I wanted the La Barraca Special paella--squid, mussels, grouper, king prawns, chicken, and pork. Yes. Now, the unfortunate caveat to ordering paella at La Barraca is that the prices are listed per person, but the minimum per-person order is two. Sadly, in our party of two there was one reasonable person (i.e. omnivore) and one person who refuses to touch four of those six wonderful things. So, could I beg for a tourist exception? Could I get the meat on the side? Could I....just order and consume paella for two? Heh, of course I could. We heard the gruff hostess laying down the law on a table behind us trying to do the same thing, but she let our table order it. We were sweating that I might not get away with it, but the other, kindlier server who brought the plates and served the paella simply smiled knowingly when I answered her question, "Para uno." She brought out the paella in the iron pan and served it from an adjacent table. I had never eaten authentic paella, so this stuff sets the bar for all future encounters. The chicken was sightly dry, and I had hoped for more vegetables. Other than that, it was perfect. My first large plate-full stuffed me almost to the gills, but I had no refrigeration facilities in my hotel room, and I refused to waste any. So, when the kindly waitress returned to ask if she could refill my plate, I accepted the challenge. It took me nearly two hours, but I ate that entire pan of paella. That was probably the third-fullest I've ever felt. Possibly #2. At one point I hit "the wall," but just like a great long-distance runner, I broke through and kept going. I highly recommend La Barraca for quality paella in a handsome, semi-upscale atmosphere. Just be sure to bring a friend of like disposition, or else an empty boot. read more

Who says Valencia owns the paella crown in Spain? Well they do also have fabulous rice dishes there too but I think they can share. I tried to go to Barraca the very first night I was there and due to the madness of the Madrid Atletico victory for their league championship, I was there 10 minutes before close and was denied. Fittingly it was my last meal in Spain after almost a month of traversing the norther part of the country. As we entered we were seated in the middle of the room in it's rustic wonder. We were going to blow it out and had the "La Barraca" Mixed Paella which contains Squid, Mussels, Grouper, King Prawn, Chicken and Pork. It is quite a hearty portion. That however was not going to be satisfactory for the last meal and I had to throw in some Jamon and Callos Madrillenos just to see how the region does tripe. Holy cow everything was delicious. Now the paella could have fed three but the greedy bastards that we are, we killed. And the jamon. And the stew. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves purity of Castillian cooking. read more

*3.5 stars* On our recent trip to Spain, we made it to Madrid and Northern Spain, but not Valencia. However, we did want to try paella in Spain, even though we kept reading how it was only good in Valencia and everything else was tourist crap. We did some research, and came across La Barraca. We were able to walk in on a Monday afternoon at 2pm with no reservation. The dining room seemed old European, with small knick knacks, uniformed waitresses, and pronounced dark wooden beams in the ceiling. The hostess was pretty frosty, even though I spoke only Spanish with her. We ordered the bread with ali-oli, which was amazing. Delicious warm bread with incredible garlicky mayonnaise. We split a basic green salad, which was forgettable, and then we moved on to the paella. As we learned in our research, the only paella places to go are those that require at least 2 people to order it. If you're getting "Paella for One", it's probably crappy and re-heated. Our mixto paella came out in a huge cast iron pan and my eyes widened. The waitress served us each a heaping plate full with shrimp, chicken, calamari, mussels, and saffron colored rice. The seafood and chicken were cooked to absolute perfection. Just the right texture. However, the entire dish was slightly underwhelming in flavor, there was no succulence or socarrat on the rice, and I found myself daydreaming of Caliu, a tiny Spanish restaurant in New York City, who makes far superior paella. If the service was nicer, I would have rounded up to a 4, since the ali-oli was great, and the proteins were cooked so well. read more

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Yum! While in holiday in Madrid with my family, we decided to come here for dinner after my sister did some extensive research on the best paella in the city. We made a reservation online for 9pm and the restaurant was still relatively empty (since the Spanish take their dinner really late). We ordered pate as an appetizer, paella for 3 people, sangria, and creme brulee for dessert. The pate was really good and they served simple toast as the perfect accompaniment. The sangria was sweet in a fruity way (not in a sugary way) and so refreshing. The creme brulee was good (not as good as I've had in Paris). My review of the paella needs its own paragraph! Our friendly waiter brought the pan out to show us but just before he went away to serve us, we stopped him so we could snap a photo. He took the sizzling hot pan a few feet from us to the serving area so he could divvy up our portions. He made sure we each got an even portion and gave us each a lemon, a mussel, shrimp, etc. The rice was cooked to perfection - it wasn't mushy or nasty but perfectly firm and creamy. There was plenty of seafood and all of it was flavorful and tender. Wow. The staff was really nice and helpful and tolerant of tourists. It is a pricier restaurant, but the ambiance and menu are more than deserving. read more

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I came here with my gf because we were visiting Madrid, and heard that they had the best paella in Madrid. We ordered the La Barraca Mixed Paella (squid, mussel, gruper, king prawn, chicken, and pork) for 17 euros. However, when we got the dish, it was kind of underwhelming. The rice and meat was dry, and overall, the dish lacked seasoning and flavor. However, this was just for the mixed paella, and perhaps cooking the meat made everything dry because you have to cook chicken and pork longer. I'm sure their seafood paella (Mariniere of the House Paella for 20 euros or Queen Shellfish Paella for 22 euros) is better, and you should get that instead. Despite that, the restaurant had an amazing garlic butter that goes well with their bread. If you're ever in Barcelona, you can get better paella at Bosque Palermo. read more

La Barraca - Mixed paella with squid, mussel, king prawn, gruper, pork, and chicken - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

Good Paella but I can't say it was much better than other places. The downside was they require you to order a double order at minimum so you end up eating only paella if there is only two of you. On the positive side, they cater to foreigners so it is easy to order. Everyone in the restaurant was a tourist. Average price for paella for two is 44€. I never liked tripe but their Tripe Madrid style was actually good. I think this is a safe place to go to if you want to guarantee you'll have a decent meal. Of all the restaurants I've eaten in Spain, to include high end ones, no one asked for a tip except here. I think they are taking advantage of foreigners. The staff isn't very friendly either. I personally would not go back but once again if you want Paella and you want to be sure you get a good (not excellent) one then this is an option. read more

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Short version: Good food. Fancy place. It's not bad, however, I would try something else next time I'm the 'hood. The YAY - Good food, in particular the Baby squid was really really yummy! - Good service, very helpful and professional. The kind of service that you get in higher-ranged restaurants. - The price vs. quality was absolutely outstanding! Or, as we Dutchies like to say: It's cheap in comparison with what you get! The Let's-Revise The overall fancy-ness of the place; especially the interior feels dated. The last renocation / face-lift of the place feels as though it was decades ago. The atmosphere was a bit awkward: I'm not sure if it's always the case, but when we were there for lunch, it was suuuuuper quiet. There weren't many people having lunch (not necessarily a bad thing), but the atmosphere was so dense that I felt we had to whisper our conversations. It felt pretty awkward. read more

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Four stars for the food minus one for service. This place opens at 8pm for dinner. Service is slow and we had to ask several times for more water. My first time trying out paella and it was good. A minimum order for 2 is required. The desserts were also good. read more

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Since I'm in Spain, I have to go search for the best paella. I can't say that this is the best paella I have had, but it was definitely better than the paella I had in the courtyard of mercado de San Miguel (I forgot the name of the restaurant). I had the mixed paella. The rice was soaked with the flavor of seafood.... Moist. Maybe this is a preFerence but I do like my paella to be reduced a little longer. Something a little dryer till the rice is crusted to the edge of the iron cast. Ingredients were fresh and tender. Portion is really big and you can't order for one person portion. It's a minimum of 2 ppl order. One person portion is 17 euros. Since I was restaurant hopping, I didn't want to pay for 2 ppl portion. I also ordered gazpacho. It tasted amazing. It was my first time having it and it was so refreshing. Price was decent. It's normal since I live in ny. read more

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This was recommended to us by a flight attendant family member who raved about their paella. We read yelp reviews and we were not impressed and getting reservation via email was difficult due to unstable free wifi when you're abroad. Anyways, we walked in to La Barraca as soon as they opened up for dinner at 8 and was surprised we were not the first or the only one. The atmosphere feels formal and very traditional (old***) so my hubs felt insecure walking in in shorts and sneakers. No one said anything or made us feel unwelcome so that's a good start. I saw some bad reviews with their service, fortunately, we had no complaints. They didn't roll their eyes when I was taking pic of everything and gladly took a pic of me and hubs. Sangria was excellent - really smooth. No overly tangy or sweet taste, just right. My hubs and I finished a pitcher. I love love fried calamari - but they don't have it in their menu. They suggested grilled cuttlefish and we enjoyed it! And for paella, we chose Paella de Marisco. We had no high expectation because of mixed yelp reviews --- but we loved it! Enjoyed every rice and seafood that comes with it!!! Ola yelpers, this one is in my book! read more

La Barraca - Best paella I've had! - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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The food was very good, and the service was great. Just keep in mind that it is kinda pricey and the paella is cooked for a minimum of two people. Other than that the seafood paella was amazing. We couldn't get enough of it. read more

La Barraca - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

After being in Spain for a week, it was our last day and we had not had paella. What a sin! When we checked into our hotel we were recommended to try La Barraca for paella from our concierge. Good choice. You absolutely must have reservations or they will turn you away. Glad we did......many were in fact turned away. So....the good. The paella was some of the best I have had in a while. Large portions and definitely cooked to perfection with the rice slightly al dente. The bad....kinda touristy...not too much but I got the sense of being moved around like cattle. But please do not take this as a reason to not visit because the food was very good. read more

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Best paella in Madrid, probably in Spain. I thought I already had tasted a good one in Barcelona, but the paella here is tastier and seems more authentic. This is a must place to eat. Remember, a paella takes about 20-30 minutes to make and it's already served good for 2 people. So only order 1 if it's only the 2 of you but the price you see on the menu is per person but it's definitely worth it!! Try also their mussels au gratin! read more

Absolutely fantastic. Staff was amazingly helpful and kind. Food was 10/10. Will definitely w retiring. We had seafood paella which was so flavorful. Great yelp suggestion was to ask them to cook a bit longer to make the rice a bit crispy. Honestly, it made the dish. Happy dining! read more

Terrible experience. Tourist trap. Rude service and confusing menu. They charge twice for the food, and do not mention it. Questionable business practices. i was offended. read more

One of the best Paellas I have ever had! The consistency of the rice was awesome. Seafood was fresh and you get a big plate! The paella mixta comes with a drum stick and an assortment of meat and a beef. It was super filling!! The aioli sauce, bread, olive appetizer was delicious. Everything at this restaurant was awesome, from the decor to the service and the food! read more

La Barraca - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

This place was delicious! Had a great date with a beautiful woman and almost as beautiful food. La Barraca makes you feel like you are at a five star restaurant but it is only roughly $18 a head. The atmosphere and staff are incredible in the small restaurant so get a reservation if possible but we didn't need one because we goin there at 8 (opening time). The bread is incredible and a great appetizer for the main course which is Paella. The sangria and the rice from the countryside was amazing and definitely worth your attention. The serving size was huge too so if you are the type of fella to stretch your dollar or euro you can bring some home for a snack. All in all great find and I highly recommend going if in search for paella while in Madrid. read more

La Barraca - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

I lived in Madrid for 6 years. Many locals know this restaurant but now it seems more for tourist. I don't see many locals but nothing but tourist. The service is good. Paella is good. Of course years go by there are plenty of good restaurants. But this restaurant offers very authentic flavors. I like one with squid ink black paella. Which one would you prefer? Should go with group, you can try different paella. The area is not in a nice area. Just watch your wallet and purse. read more

The worst wait staff ever! From the moment we arrived they were annoyed to have us. They obviously were not interested in taking care of clients they figured were tourists. After paying our expensive bill, the most we've paid anywhere. They literally kicked us out of the restaurant in the rain as we waited for a taxi so they could go home. We were the last customers but there were reservations avaiable after ours and we did not dally. They were just plain rude. Too many places to go with good reasonably priced food and nice staff to waste your time and money here. read more

I've been here twice; very touristy(in a good way) and food was decent. It was smoking hot sitting in the basement but the cute decors and presentation of the paella were an experience. You won't go wrong with any dishes here. read more

La Barraca was recommended by my co-worker for best paella in town. My friend and I arrived around 8:30p only to find out they were booked until 10p. We made a reservation for the day after just in case, but we ended up drinking at Cock Bar (yes, its a bar across the street) and returned at 10p for dinner. Had the tripe to start and the mixed paella to share. Everything was delicious! Rice was cooked all the way through with a slight creamy texture. Proteins were all cooked well. Service seemed fine to us, they spoke English. Takes card. Couldn't ask for more. read more

Great service and great decor. Would com back again. The paella was great and there were many apps I wish I could have tried too. This is one of he better meals I have had in Spain. read more

La Barraca - Tomatoes and tuna were very tasty. - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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Food was ok, but service was slow. Decor is beautiful. Prices were on target. It's off the main strip, and it doesn't appear to be a tourist trap. Food was lacking flavor, but to each their own in that regard. Waitress needs more people skills. read more

BEST paella in Spain! Had paella in Madrid, Seville and Barcelona and La Barracas was definitely #1 with the freshest seafood flavor. The portion for 2 was huge! Great service and a beautiful quaint Spanish "home" setting. read more

La Barraca - Inside quaint decor - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

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A group of us came to this very authentic Venezian restaurant. We made reservations online since we were a group of 6. Open entering we were greeted warmly by the Maitre'd. One of us was running late, but he accommodated us anyway. And so began a long and wonderful dinner. The service is European old school, but with warmth, pride and humor. The food was delicious and so was the wine our server suggested. Don't forget to order dessert, it was exceptionally well made. Highly recommend this restaurant, share the paella, drink good wine, enjoy and engage with the staff. It was superb! read more

La Barraca - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M

I had three different paellas during my vacation in Valencia and Madrid and this one was the worst. The meats were dry, the rice was over cooked, the flavor was boring. The service was just ok. My Spanish mother was quite disappointed as she had had wonderful meals here previously. Looks like they need to step up their game. read more

La Barraca - Spanish Near Me - Madrid, M