The service was excellent!!! And considering that it's really a small place the hustle on the…read morewaiters was on point! The food was delicious and we went twice during our trip! I didn't take pictures of the other dishes - I'm an idiot I was so hungry I devoured the paella and the Ropa Vieja, (phenomenal) plus the and hubby got the pork medallions with the moscatel sauce. WOWzah! All of it was amazing PLUS fresh housemade bread. I highly recommend trying the vermouth with an orange slice. Soooo good! 10/10 wish I took pictures of the other dishes!

Well worth the taxi ride from our hotel on Gran Via, with outstanding food (and reasonable prices),…read morefast and friendly service and a local vibe that pulls it all together. So good that we will likely go back tonight. Go... you won't regret it!

Great tapas and Spanish food. Full menu with all the must have dishes. The chipirones were…read moreespecially great. Friendly service.

We truly enjoy this very popular Galician tapas place! I recommend making reservations. We have…read moretaken friends here and loved every dish. Our faves: * Ropa Vieja - my son's fave - he almost didn't share this cuban style shredded beef * Bacalao confitado - creamy and decadent * Prawn Risotto - yummmm * Pimientos de Padron - mild and reminds me of shishito peppers * Pulpo a la plancha - Grilled octopus Next time I plan to try the Paella de Mariscos...

Located just outside of Puerta de Sol. This is a great place to enjoy Espana tapas and a drink!…read more The tapa portions are very large: the small size anchovies, contains two pieces of bread with 5 white anchovy fillets, diced onions, green olives, drizzled with olive oil. For a savory entree, I recommend the oxtail stew: 10 pieces of delectable oxtails in a brown gravy sauce. This tasted more like a beef pot roast, rather than a tomato style gravy. The oxtails are paired with thick cut fries.

This spot was the one for our first Tapas dinner for this Madrid visit. Roomy inside with some…read moreoutdoor seating. Empty as we were early for dinner around 7 so we took a table outside. They do have a Sister location next door -difference is less Tapas and Paella is on the menu. We started with Sangria and the Alhambra house brew. The Beer was billed as an IPA but tasted more like an Ale-very good. The Sangria was a bit sweet and refreshing. Complimentary Manchego cheese was a nice touch. Our Server warned us that their Tapas are larger than the typical size and she wasn't kidding-more like Tapas on steroids. We started with the Goat Cheese with onion and blueberry sauce. I don't think I've had fried Goat cheese and this was delicious. Blueberry sauce takes it over the top. Tortilla Omelette (Spanish Omelette) was filled with eggs/onions-very good. Last Tapa was the Cured Iberian Loin. Again, big portion. The surprise was the flat chicken breast and peppers under the Loin. This one was ok. Decided to share the Rice with 1/2 Lobster. Sauce was tasty mixed with the Rice as well Lobster. Not much Lobster though. Service was excellent with our Server patiently answering all of our questions. They've been around for almost 100 years. Don't miss the Goat Cheese Tapa!

Food was incredible. Drinks were fantastic. Carlos was welcoming and made us feel at home. Highly…read morerecommended for anyone looking for Spanish food ... and bourbon that has been hard to find in Spain.

Was EXCELLENT! The staff was wonderful and kind. We were so well taken care of !…read more Mahalo

Alright, as I continue to try to catch up on all the review drafts I wrote while on vacation, at…read morethis point a whole 5 months ago... I know this one was exactly 5 months ago, because we touched down in Madrid on New Years Day, and this was the first place we ate (sounds like they've been here for aeons, so I doubt they've changed significantly since January.) My plan when we landed had been to just go down the list I'd made before we left of the best quick food places near our hotel, and eat at the first one that *was* open on New Years. I was worried there wouldn't be any and we'd be eating snacks from a convenience store, but nope! This place was indeed open. Open, and an absolute *madhouse*. I'm not sure if it was just because it was New Years, they were open, and much of the street wasn't, or if they're always this crazy - but it was a decent wait to order, to the point that it wasn't *entirely* clear whether we were even waiting correctly to order, since the line had kind of turned into a blob. Ordering and picking up our food was slightly nerve-wracking with how crowded it was, and there didn't really appear to be anywhere inside to sit, so we figured we'd sit outside at the tables... that we got immediately yelled at for sitting at, because it turns out all the tables right outside their entrance, actually belongs to their next door neighbor. So if I were ever back in Madrid, I *would* totally consider getting food here again, but I'd just probably plan on bringing it back to the hotel, vs what we ended up doing, finding the closest nearby flat non-private surface and eating it standing up in an alley. It definitely felt like a cool historic building inside, though, would've loved to dine in, if it hadn't been wall-to-wall packed, which it sounds like they might just always be. Food was great, though. We shared (this was plenty of food): An order of the cider-braised sausages - wonderful. Bonus, we learned from personal experience, you definitely want to get an order of these sausages, as not only are the sausages themselves delicious, the resulting au jus was also great for dipping the other items into.) An order of the ham and cheese croquettes - pretty tasty, though they did fall apart. Even tastier dipped in sausage juice, though then they *really* fell apart. Worth it though. Didn't look like you got a lot per order, but looks are deceiving - they were *rich*. An order of their famous mushrooms - I was a bit surprised, given the name literally means "the mushroom bar", that they only had a single mushroom dish, though given the sheer volume of that one item they clearly sell nightly, I can see why. Anyway, as a mushroom fan... they were certainly tasty mushrooms, perfectly cooked, but in my opinion, just a bit oversalted. Also had a glass of sangria for 2.50 euro - it is extremely good sangria, though the glass for 2.50 was pretty small. They also sell it for a better price by the larger container, but sadly, while I absolutely loved the European spirit of trusting people to be responsible after leaving with a to-go alcoholic beverage... they don't sell the *larger* sized sangria if you aren't dining in. Was too bad, as I absolutely would have loved twice as much of that sangria, but it clearly wasn't worth standing in a long ordering line a second time for it.

Mushroom lovers paradise!! We ordered their mushrooms stuffed chorizo along with their wine and…read morelemon soda ( gonna try this combination at home) and it did not disappoint. The mushrooms were juicy and the chorizo with herbs added amazing flavors to the already delish mushrooms. This place can get quite packed but since we stopped by during a food tour, we could squeeze in and enjoy their food and drink. Service is quick and you can see 10-12 trays of mushrooms stacked up ready to be cooked any minute cos thats how soon they get sold. Highly recommend this spot when in Madrid.

This is another place I wish I could give half stars, in this case 4.5. On one hand, it's the…read more*exact* sort of quietly-pretentious cocktail bar experience I absolutely love, where all the drinks have been carefully curated with a bunch of small-batch ingredients, most of them, in this case, made in house. Each drink we ordered had an absolutely precisely perfect, super-unique presentation, and you could tell they were all carefully designed. I especially loved, while they don't advertise being a distillery, several cocktails even use their own in-house spirits, which if you ask about it and you're ordering a bunch of cocktails, you can just try a tasting flight for free. That was just super cool - you can buy bottles of some of them, too. Bit pricey at ~40 euro for a half-bottle, but they also distill some seriously unusual stuff, including one, used in their now-my-gold-standard bloody mary, distilled from a variety of mixed vegetables, the first time I'd *ever* seen a spirit distilled entirely from vegetables. On the other hand, with the exception of that bloody mary, all the drinks we had, especially for the price, were just... good. I loved the attention to detail on all of them, I could tell a lot of intention and effort went into each one, and again, it's always cool when you're drinking something that was distilled specifically by and for the bar you're at. But I also feel like I remember, mostly, a lot more about the presentation of the drinks and how much work went into some of the ingredients, than what most of them actually tasted like. On the third hand... that bloody mary. Seriously probably the best bloody mary I've had, as you'd expect from a place that hand-crafts literally everything including the base spirit. Assuming they still have it and it wasn't only on a temporary/seasonal menu... I'd go back for more of those, if I were ever back in Madrid. (If it was on a temporary/seasonal menu... too bad for me. I'll be savoring the half-bottle of the spirit I absolutely brought home with me, anyway! Though I still won't be making their bloody mary, which also used their own mix of several fresh-made stocks, for maximum flavor while also being totally clear still. That was super cool, and again, absolutely delicious.) Would I put it in my own personal "best bars anywhere on the planet" list? Probably not - that's a... lot of competition. Is it the best cocktail bar in Madrid? Also in my opinion, no, if I could only recommend one craft cocktail bar in Madrid, it'd be Salmon Guru. But if someone just asked me for recommendations for Madrid cause I'd been there, I could recommend any number of places, and they liked fancy, not-cheap craft cocktails? This would also go on the list, if that hypothetical person had time for two, as we did. Definitely do make a reservation, though. When we got there right when they opened, we were the only ones there... but that definitely didn't remain true.

Angelita had pretty good food, cocktails, and ambiance. I visited around 9 PM without a reservation…read moreand we got a seat in the basement bar. We had a few drinks and dinner. They serve the same food menu downstairs as well as upstairs. I liked the decor a lot; dark but comfortable. FOOD Smoked beef ham croquette - €3.5 each - pretty good croquettes Organic "ratatouille" with egg yolk and rosemary mayonnaise - €17.5 smaller portion - it was a little like ratatouille. It was not very attractive looking -- it was a vegetable mush. It didn't seem like a full dish on its own; it needed meat. Oxtail stew cannelloni with Sherry hollandaise - €10.5 - pretty good; get two if you are sharing They also gave us some olives (tasty) and then later some nuts (bad because they were unsalted / unseasoned). DRINKS Apio y Citricos - tequila with celery etc - interesting and tasty Resina y Sombra - mezcal with mushrooms etc - also interesting and tasty Moscow Mule Citronela - it was a moscow mule. not very interesting. Topinambo - whiskey, chicken skin etc They were all €13 or €14 We liked two of them a lot, less so the other two.

The shrimp at La Casa del Abuelo was melting in your mouth, really amazing, not like your usual…read moregarlic shrimp. It's served sizzling in a clay dish, a dish I actually first knew about from Mark Wiens, and it lives up to the hype. The sauce, perfect for dipping bread, was incredible, rich and full of flavor. This is clearly their famous signature dish, and it's easy to see why. A must-try in Madrid.

We went here for a late lunch, maybe 3 pm., after an exhausting day of walking and sightseeing…read moreMadrid. As we left Plaza Mayor, I spotted this popular restaurant. My wife and I sat in the back. It wasn't full, thankfully. It's a nice old restaurant that reeks with charm and history. The servers were real friendly. It had outdoor seating, but we stayed in the back to relax. We had 3 dishes., Gambas Al ajillo, Tortilla Español, a small one and Orejas (pig ears) à la plancha. They were all so good, perfectly seasoned and cooked well. The tortilla was creamy. The Gambas were garlicky...used my bread to sponge in the olive oil infused with garlic. The Orejas was tender and crispy at the same time. Food is sublime and service, first rate!

Herded a group of 14 cats to Botin while on a tour of Madrid. The restaurant did not disappoint…read more Impeccable service, very nice Spanish wines, a wide array (and quantity) of appetizers, and the tastiest suckling pig I've ever had - even better, said to say, than what I've made at home. I guess they've perfected their recipe over the past 300 years! Price for the Menu 1725 was 90€, very reasonable for the quantity and quality of food. I was afraid it would be a tourist trap (it was #1 on our tour's list) but was very happy to see local families dining. And a bachelor party from Australia that we out-rowdied. Yay USA! If you get a chance, go!

A great experience. Extremely busy restaurant but well orchestrated team of people working save…read moreknowing what to do. Daniel our server did San excellent job taking care of every detail. The ambience couldn't be better, a place to enjoy and experience what is to be in the oldest restaurant in the world. The food, El cochinillo ! Wow! It's an experience.

While in Madrid, I decided to have my splurge meal (i.e., one I usually cannot afford) here: at…read moreRestaurante La Mi Venta. I am so thankful I did, and yet wistful that I didn't have it sooner. I decided to eat my meal in the restaurant, and they led me to the basement (spooky!). It was a much nicer atmosphere than I expected, and surprisingly cool. The subterranean walls kept the room at the perfect dining temperature, even though it was 33º (92ºF) outside. I started with the "Una de Veneno" that is, the Jamón Ibérico. It was the first time this trip I had it, and it absolutely blew me away. Although I ate this meal alone, I nonetheless ate the whole appetizer... Wisest decision? Maybe not, but it was so good I couldn't stop. Each piece of jamón was an explosion of flavor and left me wanting to eat more and more. If the rest of the meal was like this, I wouldn't leave! Next up was the "Secreto de Bellota 100% Ibérico a la Parrilla de Carbón". Definitely a mouthful, but hopefully, with a name like that, it would be good. This was the plate that floored me. The pork was perfect, with enough salt to complement the fat and bring out more flavor. The pimientos de padrón (the green Spanish peppers) were seasoned perfectly as well, and the potatoes were just as good. Perfectly cooked and with incredible flavor. At this point, the meal was already the best meal I had in a VERY long time. Not that I haven't eaten good food in a while. No, this good was just that good. I decided to end it off with a dessert, the "Torrija de Toffe con Helado de Vainilla". In comparison to the other food, it wasn't as good, in my opinion. But I will also admit that, thanks to growing up in the USA, my sweet tooth is naturally much more elevated than most Europeans. Even so, it was very, very tasty. My one complaint about the restaurant would be the service. It wasn't bad, don't get me wrong. But I will admit that it was not on par with the level of the food. A little slow at times, especially when I wanted to pay. Overall, definitely my favorite meal I've had in Spain and in Europe. Maybe even in my life. If you are in Madrid, PLEASE make an effort to come here.

We came here after visiting the Royal Palace, and the location couldn't have been more convenient…read more What really impressed me, though, was the dining room downstairs. It feels like you're eating inside an old wine cellar, with beautiful brick-vaulted ceilings, stone walls, and a cozy atmosphere that makes the experience feel very traditional and distinctly Spanish. We ordered the Iberian ham croquettes, the grilled goat cheese salad, and a charcoal-grilled steak with roasted potatoes and Padrón peppers. The croquettes were okay, but they were easily the least memorable dish of the meal. The goat cheese salad was excellent, with creamy, lightly grilled cheese that paired perfectly with the fresh vegetables. The steak was the standout. It was cooked exactly as requested, flavorful, tender, and served with delicious roasted potatoes and peppers. The staff were friendly, attentive, and never rushed us, making for a relaxed dinner from start to finish. I'm giving it 4 stars because one of the starters didn't quite live up to the rest of the meal, but the atmosphere, service, and quality of the steak more than made up for it. If you're looking for classic Castilian cuisine in a unique cellar-like setting near Madrid's major attractions, La Mi Venta is definitely worth a visit.

This is a spot that feels like a little bar but is actually more like a casa with some food items…read more Here, they are big on pig and there are Iberico hams located on and around the bar for easy access. If you are vegan, coming here will only piss you off. In fact, a vegan in Madrid in general is ill-advised. The setting feels historic and rustic with exposed brick and stone that appears to be centuries old. They seem to make everything (both food and drink) behind that cramped bar which explains why most of their menu items are cold, pre-made, or easy to assemble from short lists of raw ingredients. This does not mean that anything is bad. It just means it is like producing charcuterie in a dorm room bar. A large number of items involve Iberico Ham and one of the barmen is constantly shaving off thin pieces for service. In fact the freebie snack they send out from the kitchen had some Iberico ham and Manchego cheese on it which was a really nice warm up of what to expect. Over the noonish lunch hour, I was the only tourist in the place surrounded by many locals that clearly know about this spot. I liked those odds for assuring me of a genuine authentic experience. It was an accurate predictor. I'm not the most experienced when it comes to true Spanish tapas but this seemed to be a very genuine depiction of what the locals look for in a rustic Iberico ham experience. And frankly, even if it wasn't I can't find anything to really complain about. It was a cool historic setting, there was ice-cold vermouth from a tap, and I spent an hour shoving local Morcilla (blood sausage) and Iberico pig parts into my pie hole for the better part of an hour. It was a great experience any way you choose to look at it.

Everything here was perfect: prices, quality of food, service and the authentic touch of Spain!…read more Gracias Sara!!!