Location: 5 Near the town center of Alcalá de Henares. Street parking only, but worth walking to get here.
Ambience: 4 If you want local flavor this is your place. Many locals frequent here. It is decidedly not a romantic date place. The atmosphere is casual, a little loud with chatter and the TV going. There is some clutter, but it all adds to the experience. There is a bar and a few small tables near the front; another dining room towards the back. At the bar check out the case with the fresh croissants, huge doughnuts and pastries... wow! I gained a pound just looking.
Food quality: 4 The menu is posted on the wall outside and on menus at the table. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, they have it all. The breads are freshly baked, the portions are generous and the food was delicious. With my order of eggs with bacon I received two eggs, FIVE big slices of bacon, potatoes and a basket of bread! The coffee with milk (cold milk or hot) was great as I'm not used to the strong expresso.
Service: 4 I came here several times during my visit to Alcalá de Henares as it was close to my hotel. The service was consistently good, prompt and friendly. One server is Cuban so our Spanish was more closely related (mine is Mexican/ Latin).
Beverages: 5 My favorite was the fresh squeezed orange juice and the great coffee. However they offer a huge variety including a full bar.
Cleanliness: 4. The restroom (downstairs) was very clean as were the tables and what I could see of place. There are little trash cans at the feet of the bar to encourage people to throw their trash there rather than on the floor (which apparently is common in Madrid). I only gave four stars on account of the clutter.
My hotel provided a ticket for a free breakfast here. What was free was more like a "continental" breakfast (croissant, jam, coffee and juice). There were several light options. If I wasn't too hungry that was fine, but after buying their more substantial breakfast I did that the rest of my visit.
This is a bar / restaurant, but families are welcome. No smoking inside. Positive atmosphere. Overall, a great experience. read more