It's a shame about El Automático. It's a cool, funky little spot in the great, diverse, hip…read moreneighborhood of Lavapies, and the food is pretty good- I like the salmorejo con bacalao (andalusian tomato soup with smoked cod!) and the cañas (little beer) are cold and fresh. But the waitstaff-bartenders are the pits. Seriously, they need attitude adjustments in a big way. And it's always the same people behind the bar! I've always assumed that when the staff are rude and dismissive they are unhappy with the management, are having a bad day or something like that, but these are the same miserable lot every time we've popped in for a visit. They just won't quit. They revel in what appears to be self-imposed misery. And, yes, we are stubborn, we keep giving it a chance because their menu is different from the traditional Spanish bar, we like the decor, the beers, the people watching and my husband and I went there on our first date. But the staff! Please, if you choose to brave this popular haunt, best just ignore the jerk that pours your beer with a sneer and not take it AT ALL personally.
