I noticed this homestyle, family-run spot on a YouTube video featuring not a pair of obnoxious…read morehipsters but a couple of silver-haired nomads looking for the best of Madrid's cheap eats. Kindred spirits that carry the same logic, Jamie W and I took their advice and came here when they opened at 8:30 for dinner. There was already a queue of mostly locals who seemed to know the presumed owner, an irascible woman who pointed at the customers she liked most and gave them dibs on the available tables. We eventually got seated and reviewed the long menu presented in five different languages. Uh-oh, is this a tourist trap? No, not really. The prices here are pretty low considering how close it is to Gran Via. We started with a 10€ pitcher of Sangria (Photo 6). Our server abruptly left us to pour it ourselves, and I immediately produced a red wine puddle on the tablecloth. Oopsie. What made it into the glass was quite tasty though. She dropped off a couple of rustic bread rolls that were nearly loaves (Photo 12). Our shared salad arrived, the 4€ Ensalada Mixta, a combination of tuna, egg, green olives, onion, lettuce, and tomato (Photo 7). A sprinkling of oil and vinegar made it the right starter. A couple of small plates followed. The 5€ Croquettes were savory good with a mix of potato and cod mashed in the middle, but it inexplicably came with fries rather than the Russian salad advertised (Photo 10). The 5€ Tortilla Espanola was a complete winner with the potatoes mixing seamlessly with the fluffy eggs (Photo 8). Our entrees were nicely executed. Because they were out of roast chicken, Jamie went with the 6€ Half Fried Chicken in Garlic Sauce. It was not breaded but more pan-fried, but the pieces were tender thigh meat accompanied by fries (Photo 5). I ordered the 12€ Grilled Veal Steak, a generous cut prepared medium and also accompanied by fries (Photo 9). The veal was juicy with just a tad too much gristle to finish off the steak. If you're looking for a no-frills tasty meal in the thick of Madrid's tourist zone, this is a solid bet. FOOD - 4 stars...earthy down-home Spanish food at low prices AMBIANCE - 4 stars...crowded but atmospheric in a good way SERVICE - 3 stars...a bit brusque, not much on interaction TOTAL - 4 stars...one of the better deals to be found near the Gran Via RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/F7loS8mvZb

Loved it. Best chicken cutlet I had in Spain…read more Fast service. Next time in Madrid will eat there again

An intimate and cozy little restaurant in the Salamanca district of Madrid serving traditional food…read morewith a modern twist. You can tell that everything is done with love, each piece of meat/fish carefully sliced and plated. Even the basic house wines are thoughtfully chosen and delicious. The place is owned by Carmen and her partner. Carmen took the time to explain the dishes to us in English as soon as she realized that our Spanish was basic. She introduced us to an amazing sherry when we asked for a digestif to close out our meal. And when we asked for a bottle to take home, sold us a bottle basically at cost. We walked away appreciating the passion for good quality food that our hosts put in to the meals they serve and hope to return to Madrid someday soon to visit Verdejo again.

Very good food. We found this restaurant on tiktok and the owner was so nice. He recommended what…read morefood to get and it was all amazing. Highly recommend, even when it's pouring rain in Madrid!

This was my friend's first ever Spanish meal (I'm from Spain, so I knew what I was ordering.) I…read moredon't know if it was because we were in our mid-20s, or because they could hear us speaking English, or what, but the waiter didn't seem to pay us too much attention after the place quickly filled up. We ordered the menu, which included macaroni with tomato sauce and chorizo, chicken in its own sauce and fries, and pork filets with fries. It was okay food, not the tastiest, but not the worst. It came with a basket of bread. The decoration is pretty typical: chorizos, bullheads...don't bring a PETA member in here. Like my rating says, it's A-OK for the price...always find a menu when you're in Spain, just FYI.

Decently well-priced place in a central part of Madrid. For the most part, the service was good --…read moreone of my companions meals was delayed by approximately 15 minutes, but it was also peak lunch hour. Everyone was friendly and helpful. :) I ate an Iberian ham sandwich -- first time trying Iberian ham and it was really good; the sandwich wasn't too oily or anything and was filling. For dessert I tried some of the tres leches WHICH WAS AMAZING. 10/10 would recommend this dessert item. Multiple of my companions ordered their daily special which was 3-course meal anywhere from 10 - 13 euros: appetizer, main course, and dessert. I'd recommend checking that option out if you go to Vivares; the even have a vegetarian friendly menu with the daily special. Overall, would recommend Vivares.

I have been here 4 times in under 3 weeks. Great food at a great price. Plus, they have a…read morevegetarian menu. Generous portions and delicious desserts. Nice service. It gets really busy on Sunday afternoons. Also, if you want to have dinner at 7:30, you can do so at Vivares!

Amazing food and fast service…read more I loved the cheese bread and huevo trufado. We were served very quickly and the food came within 30minutes

Our Air B&B host recommended this place to us and we're so glad he did. The place was very nice…read moreinside and the staff were very friendly. The food choices were so unique and everything looked amazing and so it was difficult to choose but we're happy with what we ordered. We started with Tinto de Verano and an Espresso Martini. Then we had pulled pork vindaloo bun, chili crab raviolis and carbonara croquettes. All delicious!

Excellent place for traditional tapas. The prawns in garlic were incredible, and the patatas bravas…read morewere actually quite spicy and very crispy. Highly recommend both of those. Was not a big of the chicken skewers - chicken was a bit chewy and lacked flavor. The croquetas were fine, but I had better while in Spain. In general, the food is affordable and solid. Would come back for the vibes

I figured this place better be good because we waited for about 45 minutes to get in. Once in, the…read moreexperience began. We ordered a couple of beers, perused the menu and were ready to explore. We overdid the ordering not knowing the portion sizes, but each and every bite was great. We did the potatoes brava with 2 sauces, the oreja con salsa Las Bravas, Calamares and Boquerones Fritos. As stated above, it was A LOT of food and we barely made a dent. But, it was great!. The orejas had a nice crunch and were my wife's first time eating pigs ears. She liked it. The potatoes were what this place is famous for and they didn't disappoint. So, was the wait worth it? Absolutely. We even had some time to brush up on our Spanish with a young couple that was just ahead of us. All in all a great experience.

When in Spain, trying the Paella is a must!…read more I found Alli Oli on my Yelp App and noticed they have all sorts of Paella, different offerings each day. My son and I took the trek to check them out. While walking we worked up a pretty big appetite. The place was packed with locals enjoying each others company while indulging in paella and some beer or wine. I ordered one of each of the paellas to go and made sure to get my side of aioli to mix in. Both were delicious (I don't remember the names) but one was seafood while the other had chicken. They were seasoned perfectly with tons of seafood and meat inside! Prices are cheap and you get a large amount for what you pay. So if you are out looking for a great spot to try paella then check them out.

Paella is a must while visiting Spain. Although it's a dish from Valencia, AlliOli recreates the…read morefeeling in the La Latina district of Madrid. Pair it with a Turia beer - also from Valencia. If u can, make a reservation or show up a little before 2p because it's a popular spot with the locals. Cin Cin!

Great place in Malasaña. I was there 5 minutes before they open and was the first one there, and…read morewithin a half hour the place was packed, and people were ready to snatch your table. Service was friendly and welcoming. It's a relaxed place. I was there for the croquettes because I'd read online that they have a lot of vegetarian options. You can get 6 or a dozen croquettes. You have to get a mix, I got 2 each of blue cheese, spinach, Gorgonzola, and mushroom and leek. They cost 9 euros. They gave me some olives, which were made grandmother's way. Very nice recipe!

We decided to try Casa Julio after getting a recommendation from a local. It's a small, traditional…read moretapas place. We dropped in on a packed Thursday evening (9:00pm). The inside is small with half a dozen seats at the bar and five tables. Two bartenders running the place. Menu is up on the wall, no English menu available. Seven types of vermouth along with beer and wine options. - Bread and olives - complimentary. Olives were decent, bread dry. - Lacuesta reserva (3,70€) - dry style vermut from Riośa. Smooth, didn't find it particularly dry. - Vermuza con lupolo (4,00€) - sweet style vermut with hops from Huesca. Slightly sweet, well balanced. - 1/2 Croquetas (8,00€ for 6) - bonito, huevo cocido (tuna and boiled egg), morcilla con membrillo (black pudding), setas con puerro (mushrooms with leeks), jamon (ham), espinacas, pasas y gorgonzola (spinach, raisin and gorgonzola) and queso azul (blue cheese). Favourite was the bonito. Croquetas were perfectly fried. - 1/2 Papas con mojo picón (3,50€) - boiled potatoes with salsa verde and salsa roja. Half portion was a perfect size. Sauces were tasty, potatoes cooked just right. An enjoyable, cheap tapas meal at CJ.