Cervecería Alemana is a large establishment with many tables serving a vast assortment tapas and cured meats. With your beer or vermouth, you get a complimentary dish of olives.   Jamón Charcuterie Plate: Slices of various jamón and cured meats are arranged on a large plate. About a dozen of each are placed in rows: Lomo Ibérico, Jamón Ibérico, Queso Machego, Chorizo, Salchichón Ibérico. The chorizo and the salchichón (summer sausage that looks like salami) have the most flavor, while the lomo (tenderloin) has the meatiest texture.   Tortilla Española: Thinly sliced potatoes and whisked eggs are cooked in a pan to form a round omelette or frittata. The tortilla is served as a wedge like a slice of pie. The potatoes have been cooked until soft in olive oil and combined with eggs until light and fluffy on both sides.   Callos a la Madrileña: This is a traditional dish in Madrid consisting of long simmered tripe, cheek, and morcilla (black blood sausage). The stew is yellowish-orange in color and the meat is soft. read more

Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. Writing this review 10-months later and my experience is still ingrained in my memory. Came here on a recommendation late in the evening mid-week. The service here is beyond awful. They directed us to sit in the back and we pulled up the menu with a QR code. They didn't come by for 15 minutes. When he did, we started to order two small plates and beers in basic Spanish, the guy then says "ingles?" To which we respond "si"...he runs away to ostensibly to get another menu. This wasn't necessary, but whatever. Five minutes later he returns with a Spanish one. We try to order but he doesn't return to our table for about TWENTY FIVE minutes. In the mean time two other tables have sat down and had drinks and appetizers. We had nothing. Frankly the rudest staff I've ever seen. Got treated like dirt, continually. Yes, dirt..... Got a bottled beer, so I can't compliment them on drinks and the food appetizer was average if not overpriced. Funny thing is, I was halfway through my beer, and the waiter came by, cleaned the neighboring table, and took my beer! I waived at him, said "No terminado con mi cerveca!", he kept cleaning, ignoring me completely, almost to my face. He takes all of the stuff he collected back to the staff area and finally I screamed, mostly in English, probably with a few words of profanity, at the top of my lungs - something I've never done at a restaurant. My voice can carry when I want it to. The place went dead-silent, everyone looked at me, he looked back - I pointed and said "mi cerveza!" He looked, realized his mistake, then had the nerve to come back and try to lecture me! I had none of it. Clueless...to the extreme. The Cerveceria supposedly has a lot of history but lacks any charm. Avoid it, walk around the neighborhood, there are plenty of friendly and quality restaurants and bars. read more

Read up on it as a Hemingway hand out. It faces the plaza. Employees are not that friendly in my opinion. They do dress like it's 1923. In white coats and ties. Considering it was not busy they could have been a little accommodating. Explain the menu. Instead of Serving the stuff and running away. Considering it's a beer bar they should be serving you beer immediately. Instead we waited and waited. They brought it with my food. By then I should have already downed one. My wife liked the tortilla. I ordered calamari. Since being in Spain I have ordered calamari at 3 restaurants and have always been disappointed. Shame on me. We also ordered meatballs which were good. Cool place. read more

" Cerveceria Alemana" One of Ernest Hemingway"s favorite watering holes in Madrid. He used to hang with the Matidors who stayed in a hotel next door during the bull fighting seasons. There is a small two-top in the front window where he sat and drank. It was a must see for me. We only had drinks but my group had a large volume in his honor. We were somehow inspired. The waiters wear white short jackets and black bow ties following the opening tradition. The atmosphere is very cool with dark wood everywhere. The food looked and smelled delicious but we had made other dinner plans. The staff was incredibly friendly and informative. We sat under a photo of Ernest and a famous matador. Highly recommended Slanche read more

I love real Spanish bars. I always have. La Cervecería Alemana is one of those iconic places in Madrid that one must experience. I've tried to get here for a caña for a number of years. My walks through Madrid simple took my to other neighborhoods. Well, I finally made it to this great bar as I continue to retrace Ernest Hemingway's footsteps. I've run with the bulls and had a few beers at Café Iruña in Pamplona, drank with Hemingway's ghost in northern Michigan, and now had some great tapas and beers at the Cervecería Alemana. La Cervecería Alemana: We had a legendary experience- great Spanish bar food (tortilla, bocarones, tintos de verano and some cañas). The quality was what one would expect. The service was friendly and warm. Our waiter atended to us as needed, with a smile. The atmosphere was perfect. I greatly enjoyed my 3 hour experience with my family at Cervecería Alemana. We'll be back. Edit: Please disregard the ignorant, excessively unfair views from Ohio. Sometimes the aperitif is quite simple like olives or nuts. I've had Spanish friends receive what you received with their beer. Big deal, it's part of the experience. This "cheap shot" kind of post was the reason Anthony Bourdain hated Yelp _______ Hace 30 años que vengo a Madrid y por fin tuve la oportunidad de tomar unas cañas y comer un poco en la Cervecería Alemana. He querido experimentar un poco del ambiente histórico además de pasar tiempo en otro bar clásico en Madrid. Ser aficionado de Hemingway es motivo por visitar la Cervercería Alemana. Llegué con my familia de cuatro personas y nos sentamos cerca de la ventana. Para empezar, tomamos unos Tintos de verano y unas cañas. La comida que probamos estaba rica- raciones de tortilla, unos boquerones, un surtido de carnes, entre otras cosas. Nos gustó todo lo que comimos. El camarero era muy amable y nos ayudó un poco para que pudiéramos seleccionar nuestra comida. De verdad, fue una experiencia excelente. Sé que vamos a volver en el futuro. read more

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If your American don't bother!!! You will get treated like crap. Everyone else was getting tapas and we were handed mixed nuts. The best part is another server was about to hand us our tapas and another server came and gave us nuts so they diverted our tapas to behind the bar. Extremely crappy!!! Was so irritated quickly finished drinks and left. It's awful we spent money like everyone else on drinks and were treated horrible. So if your a local you will be fine. Otherwise do not waste your time or money. Shady business practices!!!! read more

Enjoy a traditional tapas bar (since 1904) that just happens to have a good selection of different beers right in Plaza Santa Ana. The food is really good and the waiters are very professional. We happened to be staying at a hotel nearby so planned to try this place, but then a native Madrid friend (older gentleman) suggested it so we knew it would probably be good. We were not disappointed. read more

Cerveceria Alemana - Another beer option. - Beer Bar Near Me - Madrid, M

Came here via others recommendation and that of Anthony Bordain. This place did not disappoint! We had the meat and cheese tray and Jamie explained everything g on the plate - really made it an experience. read more

Cerveceria Alemana - Jamie was an absolute pleasure! So very knowledgeable and wanted to try out his English on us - he was outstanding! - Beer Bar Near Me - Madrid, M

The draft beer was fresh Nice choices on wine Service was good Olives are a nice touch The aged manchego Reserva cheese was a intense flavor and excellent The marinated octopus was darn good The croquettes were average and a bit bland The ham was ok and flavorful The bread was boring read more

This guy refused our family because he didn't want us to put two tables together. if I was the owner of the restaurant, I would like to know which employees refused business bc they were too lazy. read more

Cerveceria Alemana - This was the jerk that refused us service bc he didn't want to put 2 tables together. - Beer Bar Near Me - Madrid, M

Stopped by for a drink and Tapas. Was given some nuts since we were Americans. Everyone else got typical Spanish Tapas. They don't seem to be very friendly to tourist. They intentionally won't give you Tapas so you have to spend more money. Kind of crappy business practice before t tends to be the custom. So, keep walking and find some place that is forwignsr friendly. Safe Travels. read more

My wife and I were looking for a place for tapas near our hotel and spotted the Alemana which even at a relatively early hour for Spain had customers and seemed lively. Also from looking at the menu they had a large variety of tapas which attracted us as we planned on making tapas our dinner. As others have commented you feel as if you have stepped back in time when you enter. Earnest Hemingway used to be a patron and the Alemana is certainly "a clean and well lighted place". Servers are older gentleman dressed rather formally in white coats, black bow ties, and black trousers. We appeared to be the only Americans in the place and there were a lot of animated conversations in Spanish going on around us. Our server had rather elegant old world manners and was very helpful. I ordered a medium brown draft beer which was excellent and my wife had a glass of Spanish red wine which they let her sample before completing the pour. There were complementary green olives. We felt the need for some greens so we ordered the chefs salad which consisted of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. It was huge. We also ordered fried calamari and meat balls. I liked the calamari but my wife not so much. The meat balls were good. When we finished we were satiated. I would definitely return for the atmosphere alone. read more

We had a great experience. We came for beers and a snack. The food was delightful. The waiter was super friendly and fun to talk to. Highly recommended. read more

When entering the place, you are walking back in time. The servers are dressed in tuxedos and the dining room is set with wooden furniture as well as frames and plaques covering the walls. I read that this bar was visited frequently by Ernest Hemingway and I had to check it out for myself. There is a wide selection of beer and the food portions are small, yet filling. I had a couple draft beers with a Spanish 'bocadillo'. If you're looking to escape modern-styled restaurants and want to take a glimpse into the past, check this place out. read more

Hemingway brought me here and just standing at the bar observing the interaction between the waiters and bartenders alone was an enjoyable experience that I would pay admission for. The bartenders are excellent and professional, quick and heavy on the spanish. read more

With adequatemente service that grows on you, local charm, and great dishes of all varieties, this is my favorite tapas place in Madrid. The ambiance of the turn of the century wood and marble dinning room, great wine knowledge and offerings -- particularly seafood, but a great Jamon and Queso plate as well -- go here. If you can be minimally assertive, it's a great go to place for a tourist in Madrid, in a cushion that's fun to stroll and has allot of other interesting tapas places. I wouldn't say tourist friendly, but I'd say tourist accommodating -- I think I like that better than false pablum. read more

Good food, great location, however bad treatment, almost as a nuisance. Seems typical for Spain. Is this for American tourists only? Can't tell. read more

Good draft beer, rotten squid and cod. Lot of people got steamed muscles and cheese plates, those looked good. Service was good (sat at table). Ended up getting two burner sauges - just a hot dog wrapped in bacon, but good. read more