We were in Madrid for a soccer game and looked up what was going on in the city. Found this…read morefestival and was so pleased by it!! They have all different food trucks, including trucks with wine and beer, and tons of variety for food. We got a mix of both (burgers, crepes, fries, etc.) They also had live music the whole time we were there. Made for a great setting for lunch! For sure worth stopping by and enjoying and afternoon at the festival!

This festival provided the biggest range of cultural cuisines that I got to experience in Spain…read more(the majority of restaurants in Madrid serve Spanish food only). After wandering from food truck to food truck for about an hour, I decided on Venezuelan Arepas, loaded fries, and a Spanish beer. I went with Spanish friends and it was fun for all of us to try so many new foods that we didn't know were even sold in Madrid. It was refreshing to see the cultures meshing. This food truck fest happens a few times a year (check their website for the dates!).

Amazing Mexican street food/taco shop near Rios Rosas. We tried a huge variety of dishes there,…read moreall which were phenomenal. Tostaditas, pulpo, tacos, okonomiyaki, queso fundido.... everything was great. The selection of dishes is pretty unique and is a very modern take on street food (with some obvious Japanese influence as well). They had mahou ok draft and the atmosphere was tuned toward a hip, young crowd. Great meal and creative menu, can't miss.

Excellent combination; Mexican and Asian fusion on the famous Madrid tapas street (Ponzano). Great…read moreatmosphere and even better tacos. Try one of the Asian Martinis or a Mescal drink. Fun place; worth a stop during your tapas tour.

The food was amazing and the service was top notch. We ordered a total of 5 different dishes, a…read morepitcher of sangria and a desert. The tapa dishes were all very good. We ordered a salad which was a very unique dining experience because it came in a pot with scissors. You cut pieces off and topped it with chicken and egg plant it was honestly really cool. Next we had a Spanish pancake which was ok I personally wasn't crazy about it but it was good nothing crazy though. We followed this up with the croquets which were small but very tasty filled with ham and cheese. We then had the Potito or Baby Jar. It's egg mixed with truffle and garlic in a small jar. It was one of my favorites so much flavor in this dish. It went really well with the bread they serve. The duck racks were also very good nice amount of different flavors from all the assortment of toppings they bring you. The last tapa we had was the star of the show. The flaming steak was amazing m. The perfectly cooked steak was seasoned to perfection and they literally brought a fire to your table when they cooked it. I was in love with this dish and would definitely recommend it as a must have. For desert the last thing we had was the crema de queso. Definitely an interesting take on desert. This place is amazing one of the best dinner experiences I have had. Thank you Anthony Bourdain!!! Pro tip: this place is kind of hard to find. It's immediately next to a restaurant with a black cat on its front door.

Looking for a late night "snack", (just before midnight) we walked around the corner from our hotel…read moreand discovered La Gabinoteca, a quaint Tapas restaurant featured by Anthony Bourdain on his show "No Reservations". The restaurant was not extremely packed, but it was lively. It took a minute to find someone to seat us, and once we were seated our waiter told us we had about 10 minutes to order before the kitchen closed, although they advertised being open until 2am. We kept wondering why everyone was looking out at our table from the kitchen but no wait staff came over until finally we realized there was a buzzer on our table that we could use to summon the wait staff, get our check etx. When the waitress came over she was friendly and assured us we had enough time to order what we wanted from the kitchen. She also tried to speak English as best she could to explain what the dishes were. We ordered some typical tapas - Ravioli Burrata, Chicken Wings, Croquetas, Gyoza of Ropa Vieja, and Duck Tacos. The tacos were flavorful and the Gyozas were delicious. The other tapas were just ok, didn't stand out any more than others. I did not like the texture of the Ravioli and it is a cold dish so seemed bland to me. I thought the food was good overall, but it did seem a little pricey.

La Chelinda is a cute and colorful traditional Mexican food focused spot. Upon walking in I…read moreabsolutely loved the bright colors of pink, blue, and orange that decorated the tables and walls. The wrap around bar that boasted their drink specials. My friend and I were seated quickly and we flipped through their menu. We decided to share an order of their chelinda nachos that were chips topped with salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, and melted cheese. I got their chicken tinga tacos and my friend got their chicken quesadilla. Everything was delicious! The only thing that was missing from my tacos was some salsa, onions, and cilantro. The waiter was super busy, so I was unable to ask for this. However, the chicken was okay and had just a hint of spice. I think it could've had more spice for my taste. I think I preferred the quesadilla and nachos compared to the tacos. The nachos were filling and the guacamole was so yummy and fresh. It paired well with the sangria mexicana--which is sangria with some tequila. It was super big and refreshing! It was my birthday, so they turned up a song and got me a sombrero to wear. I had a fun time with this! I would come back for more nachos.

Three words: funky Mexican food…read more Three more words: nachos, tacos, margaritas. They're all done well, and they all have multiple options. Nachos- you can choose to add different types of meat on the already-loaded chips. Yum! Tacos- al pastor, chicken, with fruit, spicy, mild, etc- lots of options Margaritas- several options of exotic fruit and can choose between frozen or not, fun to share a pitcher with friends There's many locations around Madrid- check if there's one close to you!

Good, solid Mexican restaurant with cosy atmosphere and very friendly, accommodating staff. Always…read moreworth a visit, burritos are my favorite there.

After a week of not great Spanish food, this was a very welcome meal! The food was very good…read more(guacamole and beef street tacos). The house margarita was awesome and STRONG. It would not be uncommon to have two margaritas in the states, one was more than plenty! The waitress was super sweet considering her English and my Spanish were fairly on par (muy pico), we managed to make it work. The restaurant was colorful (blue and yellow) and well decorated. I could see hanging out here with friends for the night. I was dining alone so I ate and left. I also went early for Madrid standards (happy it was open at 645) and there were other people (not Americans) eating which is always good. Definitely would recommend and would be happy to eat here if it were in the states!

The tapas were great except for the octopus which was chewy! The service was amazing. Not sure what…read morethe hype is about when trying to get a reso as there were quite a few empty seating spots

One of the trickiest parts of travel? Timing the vibe. You can have the best recommendations, the…read moreright outfit, and the crew ready to go--but if the energy's off, it's off. Spain, famously, runs late. Dinner isn't dinner until 9:00 PM, minimum. And the party? It doesn't even warm up until midnight. So there we were, wandering the city streets at 10-ish, already two drinks in, hungry for adventure--and just slightly off-sync with the nightlife rhythm. Phones in hand, we played the usual game: app-hop, review-skim, vibe-check. We tried a few spots--each either too quiet or clearly recovering from last night's chaos. Three attempts in, the group hit a wall: tired, tipsy, and borderline feisty. But something told us to keep going. That's when my wingman and I backtracked--past a velvet rope we'd passed earlier. Two sharply dressed bouncers stood outside a low-profile building. No flashing signs. No loud crowd. Just posture and presence. A place that invests in the right doormen, I figured, probably gets a lot of other details right, too. We approached. A nod. A door opens. Then another. And just like that, the mood shifted. We walked into a full-blown production--music pounding, the bar staff moving like choreography, strangers dancing like best friends. It felt like a scene from a high-budget musical... except we weren't watching it. We were in it. We looked at each other and grinned like idiots. We'd found it. That thing travelers chase but rarely catch: a spontaneous, untamed, perfect night. Suddenly the questions came flooding in: Why didn't we come here sooner? How did we almost miss this? Why were there so many beautiful people here? But we didn't stay in question mode for long. We dove in--drinking, dancing, flirting, laughing. The energy was electric. The connection, effortless. Sadly, we only had an hour before closing. But we made it count. And as we spilled out into the night, breathless and buzzing, we asked the most important question of all: "When are we coming back?" This place? It's more than a bar--it's a movement. I've since seen videos of Karol G making an appearance, and heard rumors they're opening new locations. Whoever's behind this? Congratulations. You've found a way to bottle Mexico's best party energy and ship it across the globe. We'll be back. Next time, earlier--and ready.

Excellent! Fresh fresh fresh did I say fresh. Great service. Handmade corn tortillas melt in your…read moremouth. I ate the taco con camarones so quick hubby only got a single bite. He did however share his fajitas con pollo that were equally good. Ohhhh how could I forget my margarita froze limon excellente! After pic is all I could take food didn't last long enough

My taco was okay but the service was just bad. No warmth. No interest. My finished plate sat 15…read moremins in front of me in an empty restaurant. Servers were more interested in making themselves cappuccinos and being on their phones. I would have ordered more but couldn't be bothered to keep trying to get their attention

DiverXO in Madrid is, without a doubt, one of the most unique (and honestly the best) dining…read moreexperiences I've ever had. From the moment you walk in, it's clear this isn't a traditional fine dining restaurant. The entire space leans into a bold, punk rock aesthetic that somehow pairs perfectly with its wildly creative "flying pig" cuisine concept. Every dish felt like a surprise. Nothing was predictable, and that's what made it so exciting. From the very first bites to the final courses, each plate delivered intense, layered flavors and unexpected textures. It genuinely felt like being taken on a journey around the world--yet at the same time, there were combinations and sensations that felt completely new, like nothing I'd ever tasted before. Some dishes challenged what I thought food could be, in the best possible way. There's a sense of playfulness and rebellion in the cooking, but it's backed by serious technique and precision. It almost feels like a glimpse into the future of food--where creativity, storytelling, and sensory experience matter just as much as taste. I'm really glad I managed to get a reservation while I was in Madrid.

Madrid's only three Michelin-starred restaurant, DiverXO, offers guests a dreamscape wherein…read moreboundaries between food, art, and imagination either vanish or never existed in the first place. Dabiz Muñoz is its visionary genius and master craftsman. He was honored as Best Chef in the World a jaw-dropping three years in a row (2021-2023). Each of Muñoz's creations is a surreal masterwork. Each challenges convention, defies rubrics, and yet enchants every palate. I have dined at DiverXO twice, and both visits were mesmerizing. Unable to secure a reservation online during the booking window, I reached out to the restaurant hoping that there might be some availability being held from the online booking system. Fortunately, there was. The staff were impeccable. Genuinely accommodating, professional, and eager to help-- going above and beyond to find a table for my wife and me-- knowing it was for a special occasion. We were made to feel celebrated throughout the entire experience. My wife and I at the end of our meal during our honeymoon. You step into a positively electric ambiance charged with equal parts wild fantasy and sleek, restrained elegance. The décor is as daring as the menu offerings. Flying pigs adorn the restaurant, emerging from walls and soaring overhead. This perfectly echoes Muñoz's tasting menu, aptly named La Cocina de los Cerdos Voladores ("The Flying Pig Cuisine"). Think Alice in Wonderland meets gastronomic dream through the lens of a mad, yet genius chef. Showers of color and bold design statements perfectly mirror Muñoz's boundary-obliterating approach to fusion cuisine. Visual Arts and Culinary Arts dance in superb synchronicity. Where many chefs strip dishes down to minimalism, Muñoz embraces the opposite -- a controlled chaos that only he can orchestrate. Ingredients that wouldn't normally earn chairs in the same symphony are somehow coaxed into the most soaring harmonies. Expect a thrilling performance that blends notes from Asia, Latin America, and Spain, while balancing dramatic flair with technical precision. Every bite exalts. Every course enchants. The team at DiverXO extended hospitality beyond our meal. They graciously helped us secure a reservation at StreetXO-- Muñoz's more playful, street-food-inspired restaurant-- which will be spotlighted in an upcoming article. The affection shown to all guests, and the ingenuity of every plate is not an accidental juxtaposition. It is confirmation that DiverXO was never intended as a mere restaurant. It was meant to be a revolution. Booking Tip: reservations are available 90 days in advance, but book quickly. Lunch reservations tend to be easier and allow for the same quality of service, food, and ambiance.

Staff was attentive and helpful. I was offered potato chips to start with my wine. Followed by a…read morefree sampling of salmon in a sauce topped with sesame seeds it was wonderful, makes me think I should order the salmon tartare next time I come. Then I was offers grilled bread. I ordered croquettes.... they are crispy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside. The entrecôte, I ordered, was served medium rare, per my request. Entree came with roasted red pepper, eggplant, grilled zucchini, asparagus and French Fries. The wine was plentiful and cheap. A perfectly quite place that made dining as a party of one enjoyable and memorable.