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El Sur is a charming little spot in Madrid, tucked right into the wall of a narrow street. The space is very small and they manage to fit a surprising number of people inside, so you immediately notice how tight the squeeze is. It has that classic bustling tapas bar energy where everyone is close enough to feel like part of one big conversation. The food was the highlight. The clams were flavorful and fresh, the octopus was cooked beautifully and the paella was delicious. It is a great place to stop in for a drink and a quick bite, especially if you want something authentic and lively. When we visited, it was packed to the point where you were shoulder to shoulder with other guests and close enough to easily hear the party next to you. It adds to the charm if you enjoy that classic crowded European dining atmosphere, but it is something to keep in mind if you prefer more space.
This was the first dinner meal my mom and I had in Madrid and let's just say it completely exceeded my expectations. When we walked in we were welcomed by such warm service! I truly have to highlight Pepe, Franco, and Grace for taking the time to speak to us and get to know us. The food was FANTASTIC. We ordered the seafood paella, jamon iberico, garlic shrimp, and sangria. The paella was filled with a ton of flavor which was DELICIOUS. Everything was fantastic, but the Sangria was spectacular, (probably one of the best sangrias I've ever had). At the end of our meal, Pepe brought us two liquor de Limon shots, which made our whole night!! Definitely recommend this place in the La Latina neighborhood. You won't regret it!
Our dining experience was just okay, but could have been better. We had a large group, but we were accommodated within an hour. The staff were friendly for the most part. For some reason the Chicken Curry(s) took at least 40 minutes longer than everything else. No explanation or apologies were given for the wait, but it was clear that an error had been made. When it finally came out, I was so underwhelmed. Although the curry was flavorful, the chicken was dry and the rice was extremely undercooked. It was my first time experiencing rice that crunchy. All of this pretty much tainted the experience for me. During the long wait for my food I tasted the Risotto and that dish, however was a10/10.
El Sur is a pleasant restaurant serving fantastic Tapas and drinks with pleasant vibes. The music was 90s alternative from US. The staff was welcoming and accommodating seeing we were warm from our travels and put us right in front of the AC to cool us down. The drinks were on point and much needed on a hot summer day. We were drawn in by the grilled scallops and we're surprised by the moussaka. We've been fortunate with Greek family recipes in our neighborhood that are hard to beat and El Sur didn't disappoint. The place is deserving of a star in our book. We are going to miss this place and if we know travelers heading to Madrid we would recommend in a heartbeat.
Stopped in last night for dinner based on reviews. Nice little place, great atmosphere, good music playing inside, and the menus are in Spanish and English. While the waitstaff isn't fluent in English, they do a great job of making it work. I ordered their paella, which I thought was very good. My party also tried their patatas bravas as an appetizer, it was very good. One person in our party order their ceasar salad, which came with balsamic dressing on it also. It was different, to be sure. Not bad, just not what we were expecting. At the end of the meal, we were giving a free shot, on the house. While I don't drink, my party enjoyed it, and it topped off a fun dinner. Give this place a try, I don't think you will be disappointed!
I was really excited to try out this place. It had great reviews on Yelp and it was right behind our hotel. We had made a reservation and the place was not that busy but the water came behind the bar and sat us down. He then disappeared and I had to flag down the bar tender to take our order. We ordered the Tabla de quesos, the Croquetas de Jamón, Patatas bravas and the Paella Marinera. The food came out quick. The quesos were delicious- served with a jelly and walnuts. The croquetas were really silky but I could not taste the jamón. The patatas bravas were inedible. First off- they were not traditionally made. These were either steamed or boiled and they were underdone. They were served with a hot sauce that resembled Frank's Red Hot sauce. Definitely not what I was expecting. I get that this was their interpretation of PB's but it is a failed execution. The Paella was descent but nothing to right home about. It lacked saffron and seasonings overall. I was fairly disappointed with this place. The workers seemed like they didn't want to be there on a Sunday night. There was no ambience as the place was daily empty and not much going on. The service could better and the food was definitely not a destination I would recommend.
Lackluster dining experience. Yelp led me astray on this one. This is a classic example of why you shouldn't just go off the reviews. None of the pictures prior yelpers had posted were Incredible and I should've trusted my gut. A shot of chocolate milk with liquor isn't enough to say this place is decent. Service was ok. We ordered a few starters including the baby squid salad, salmon tempura, risotto, and steak with padron peppers. None of the dishes were memorable. For drinks my wife tried the non alcoholic San Francisco which at eight euros felt stiff considering the wine is three. Overall I would take this place off your list. Trust me you won't regret it. The seating in the front is cramped and the ac is non existent .
My son wanted paella before leaving Madrid. So I typed in BEST PAELLA on Yelp, El Sur popped up, and for good reason. It's tucked away in an alley in a residential neighborhood from the hustle and bustle. We came for lunch. The gates were closed but just be patient, they opened shortly after 12pm. I absolutely love love the decor here. The walls are adorned with old movie posters. You can feel that this place has been around for a long time. Here is what we ordered: - Seafood Paella (incredibly flavorful) - Gambones al Ajillo - Grilled Baby Squid with Salad - Fried Eggplant (love the sweet glaze) Dishes are served tapas style. I wished I could have ordered everything on the menu. I saw two other patrons ordering the Squid salad and man, it did not disappoint. When another customer down next to us, she asked where she could find that Squid salad on the menu. As for the paella, my son loved it. The owner and staff are super friendly. We felt very welcomed. I liked the little gummy candies that came with the bill. This was one of our favorite meals in Madrid because every dish we had was delicious. 10/10 for food, decor & service Highly recommend
Feels like a hole in the wall but old restaurant. You are seated first come first served. No reservations. The restaurant does accommodate 50+ people. We order Paella, which was awesome. The Calamari came with small side salad. I liked the Salad better than Frued Calamarri. Tasted like any other. But in the end it is totally worth your while to try . You will enjoy .
Very cozy atmosphere and laid back feel. Came in early maybe the first ones but less than an hour the place is half full. We had the seafood Paella and grilled baby squid salad. I wish they have a bigger order of the Paella! They are so good and full of flavor! Freshest ingredients and rice cooked right. The Chipirones a la plancha or grilled baby squid salad can be ordered half or full. We got half order so we can just taste it but ended up ordering a full order again. It's that good!! The squid cooked perfect! So soft and fresh! Never pass on trying El Sur. The only disappointment you'll have is not having enough of the grilled baby squid!!! Jhoan and Oswaldo are the best people we met at Madrid. Buen Provecho!!!
2 years ago
Literally the best meal I have ever had in Madrid and delicious drinks too. I started with the Fruit bomb and it was so fresh and yummy that I ordered a second one ;). For my meal, I ordered the Secreto De Ternera c/ Salsa Tartara y patatas ( little beef Sirloins, tartar sauce and fried potatoes) I wish I could give it 6 out of 5 stars because it was beyond perfecto. My girlfriend ordered the Risotto De Gambas (Risotto with Shrimp Sauce) and it was delicious!!! I am so glad that I checked the yelp reviews and bookmarked this place, we will absolutely be back!!! read more
3 years ago
In Madrid for a few days and of course we used Yelp to eat, lol. I mean, I'm an Elite, so Yelp is life, lol. El Sur was great. We sat at a small table in the front near the door with a window. I love people watching. We also sat right near the bar, loved it. We decided on the El Sur salad, so much goat cheese, I'm in love, lol. They never give enough goat cheese on salads in the U.S. we shared a paella, it was full of seafood. I also had a Sangria by the glass, it was full of fruit and amazing. A short walk from all the centrally located hotels. Oh, they also have WiFi. A must try if you are in Madrid. read more
What a great place to spend a Sunday night in Madrid. We ordered 4 tapas and a paella to share. The paella was just alright. There were plenty of flavours here but It just didn't blow us away. Serving size was great. For tapas we ordered the musaka, patatas bravas, quiche, and salmorejo. My favourites were the patatas (potatoes) served with a delicious paprika sauce, and the salmorejo (cold tomato soup). All in all, a very good place to try and one of the better restaurants I've been to in Madrid. I would definitely come back for the tapas. read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
This was our last dinner in Madrid and it was quite delicious! There was a long wait so we waited at the bar and had sangrias until a table was available. The white wine sangria was wonderful. The bartender did an excellent job. For dinner, we ordered squid with salad, ropa vieja, garlic prawns, steak, salmon skewers and also musaka. We all loved the garlic prawns and the sauce. They give you complimentary bread and you definitely have to try dipping the bread in the garlic prawn sauce! So good. The ropa vieja is a must as well. It is so flavorful and soft and it comes with a side of chips. Salmon skewers you can pass on. The musaka was an interesting dish. It was like an eggplant lasagna which I enjoyed! No one else really cared for it but I liked it. My aunts bf who is really picky liked his steak dish. It was a good meal. Only complaint I would have is that the wait is long and when we tried to make reservations on the phone, they said they don't take any but asked how many there are of us and asked if we can come in at 9. When asked if there was an earlier time, they then said again they don't take reservations. So that was weird. When we arrived, hoping the wait won't be too long, we were told the wait would be about 25 mins but we waited for about 40 mins. Definitely sit at the bar and have a drink while you wait or just eat at the bar if you don't mind. Overall 4.5 stars! read more
7 years ago
Worth our 40-minute wait. Even to sit at the bar. Truly honestly. Charming place with kind service and excellent food. I studied in Madrid for four months back in 2011 and came back to visit this year. I am not exaggerating when I say--all things considered: service, ambience, price, quality--probably my best meal in Madrid ever. Gorgeous, scrumptious salad, hearty paella, satisfying croquetas, and fall-apart juicy cuello de puerco. Thank you to the bartender for our excellent service! We will remember you! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
We ate there twice while in Madrid. First for lunch then again for dinner! Amazing food, drinks, and wonderful staff! They have several locations. Just a wonderful time. Delicious food!!! read more
7 years ago
On a recommendation from a friend we went to El Sur for a late night meal. It was raining and there was a line out the door. We are not fans of waiting at all, much less in the rain. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was worth the wait. The host was very gracious and kept us informed on the wait time. The waiter, Oswaldo, was extremely knowledgeable, professional and courteous. We ordered several dishes for the wife and I to share. The Argentinian Empandas were delicious. The Gambás al Ajilo was good. It could have been great. This was the only issue we had with the entire meal. The shrimp were drowned in the sauce and there was little to no garlic in the dish. The shrimp were cooked perfectly. We finished off the meal with the Filet and Roquefort Cheese sauce. OMG! That was absolutely amazing. Not only would we go back, we'd definitely recommend this place to anyone within 30km of the location. By far, our best meal in Madrid. read more
7 years ago
My girlfriend and I arrived at El Sur around 730pm on a Monday night. The restaurant is tucked away in a beautiful neighborhood and accessible by metro. We got seated fairly quickly, but noticed there was a wait accumulating shortly after we arrived. Overall, the food was decent but slightly overhyped by TripAdvisor and Yelp. For the most part, it was all tourists in the restaurant, so you don't really get the authentic Spanish vibe, but the wait staff were all very kind so that made up for it. We ordered the following: -El Sur salad -Musaka -Ropa Vieja -Garlic shrimp -Sangria We enjoyed the El Sur salad (walnuts, goat cheese, and tomatoes over salad w/ balsamic vinegar) and the Musaka (layered eggplant and potatoes w/seasoned beef). The salad was fresh and the Musaka was flavorful. Would definitely order those again. We then ordered the Ropa Vieja and Garlic Shrimp. Ropa Vieja was decent but it reminded me of marinated beef and something that I could have found in California. The Garlic Shrimp wasn't as flavorful as expected and didn't have nearly enough garlic. Overall, the prices are decent and the drinks were good, but I expected more from all the good reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
This place is amazing. We went there twice in four days in Madrid. A little off the beaten path but close enough to la avenida Atocha. The grilled scallops were on the specials menu; incredible! Also had prawns in garlic sauce, grilled squid and Ropa viaja. Don't forget a pitcher of white sangria. read more
7 years ago
El Sur is a favorite among tourists and travelers abroad. Even though they are known as the place that many travelers choose to dine in, the quality of their meals are top notch and won't cost you an arm and leg. My favorite dish here is the 'Chipirones a la plancha' (grilled squid with salad). With this particular dish along with a few others you have the option to order a half portion 5.80 Euros vs a full portion for 11 Euros. I love this idea because sometimes you just want to try a little bit of everything and El Sur allows you to indulge in that food fantasy. Highly recommended! Other Notable and delicious dishes are the Gambones (we chose the prawns WITH garlic), Ropa Vieja (shredded flank steak served with plantain chips, and the Carrillada (confit pork cheeks with mashed potato). The portion of these pork cheeks are highly generous! For a party of Three, we spent 45 euros including our pitcher of tinto de verano and came out super full and highly satisfied. The space is quite small however they try to utilize as much space as they can so I appreciate the use of space. It's comfy but not too crowded when we went for lunch; the wait time for a table wasn't too bad either. read more
4 years ago
Increíble find. Food was fantastic. Staff was so friendly and they sang happy birthday when they found out we were there for a celebration. Worth the wait! read more
7 years ago
One of my favorite places in Madrid. Came in May on the last night of my trip and it was so memorable that I returned to Madrid a few months later (well, it's one of the reasons why I went back). Naturally, it was my first stop upon arriving in Madrid in October - the shrimp risotto, sangria, and grilled squids were as delicious as I remembered them. The risotto was so cheesy and creamy (REALLY rich though, so you might want to share it), and it was definitely better than any of the risotto I had in Italy. I've tried other dishes and they were decent, but nothing too mind blowing. I'd keep going back just for those three dishes. Ended up going three times over one week. It's around the corner from Mercado Anton Martin, so I'd suggest getting some tapas there first, and making El Sur your stop for dinner. Note that the space is small, so either go early or expect a wait. read more
6 years ago
Looked up some places for lunch this past weekend that was more than just regular tapas and we popped into this little nook and WOW Spectacular service, great food, great drinks ! No complaints at all ! My friend and I shared the gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas and the croquetas de champiñones and wow if I could get some of this food to go back to NY - I would. Frank, our server, was AMAZING. Very charming and welcoming and made sure we never wanted for anything. Would definitely make this a regular spot if I lived in Madrid. Don't miss this out. read more
3 years ago
The Yelp reviews on this place just compelled me to check it out. And was I not disappointed at all!! Excellent customer service. The food and drinks were fantastic. The seating arrangements and the atmosphere were relaxed and inviting. I ordered the Risotto with shrimp sauce and so far it's been the best risotto I've tasted. I highly recommend this place. The drinks were not watered down at all compared to other restaurants I've checked out. read more
5 years ago
Small restaurant with just the right amount of Spanish ambience, first off the red wine was perfect, then the jamones was so good end the bread was fresh and crusty outside and soft middle , the main course was shrimp in garlic oil n butter , piping hot and for the life of me I can't figure out why the shrimp was so tinder being in that much heat , but the buttery sauce had a touch of red pepper that just set it off , I dipped my 2nd basket of bread in it like a dip . Was my first meal in Madrid and I was totally satisfied , highly recommend , the service was fast and friendly , I will be back , great job !!!! read more
2 years ago
I went here based on a recommendation from Michelle C and it totally met all of my expectations. In fact, El Sur turned out to be one of the best spots my fiancé and I visited in Madrid. I ordered the Garlic Shrimp and thought it was absolutely incredible. The shrimp were plump and cooked perfectly, and the garlic butter sauce was so flavorful. I dipped slices of the fresh bread into the butter sauce, as Michelle C recommended in her review, and it was just as delicious as she described! My fiancé had one of their pork dishes which was another winner. Although he enjoyed it, he said the Garlic Shrimp was slightly better. I would agree with that. Service was great. Although it was a full house, our food came out just minutes after we placed our orders. Staff was friendly and very attentive which was especially impressive given how busy they were. Whether you're looking for a place for lunch or dinner, I would highly recommend stopping here. If I'm lucky enough to vacation in Madrid again, I'll be sure to make a second trip to El Sur to get the Garlic Shrimp! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
I honestly found this place to be a bit of a tourist trap - and although it was nice to experience, I probably wouldn't go here again. After reading the reviews, we thought that this might be a nice dinner stop after we visited the Prado and Sofia Reina museum. Upon stepping in, however, I realized that this place was definitely catered toward tourists. The DEAD giveaway to any restaurant being a tourist trap is that they play north american pop music, and the second is that there were no locals at this restaurant - everyone that we saw were touists from another country. Not that finding a touristy place is bad - but I think I really craved a more authentic experience in our time in Madrid. Our food was ok, but the waiter made a couple of slight errors. First, we ordered a virgin drink, but the bartender made it with alcohol and we had to tell them. The risotto was pretty good, but a little too salty for my taste. My friend ordered a salad, which was ok. The musaka tasted pretty much like a lasagna but made with eggplant and potatoes, which was ok. The nice thing about this place is that the waiters were really kind, and the vibe of this place was hip and relaxed. However, it just wasn't the kind of experience I was looking for. And that's ok! But I wouldn't come here if you wanted true spanish cuisine - maybe spanish cuisine with a modern twist and more catered towards western palettes. read more
AMAZING cocktails! Try the refreshing " fresh tequila" drink! It's lite not too sweet not too sour, it's the perfect balanced of well full flavored. Food is super good as well, I would say try Octopus if you never had good octopus cooked for you before, this is the great place to start. read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
First stop in Madrid. Came for some Tapas. We got half table of jamón and half table of cheese. Then an order of croquetas. The sangria is amazing. Great service and ambiance read more
7 years ago
A little uphill walk to this neighbourhood gem. The best thing is this place is opened all day so it is a bonus for those who can wait until 8:30pm to have dinner. This restaurant is highly rated on trip advisor and google. We had the spinach ravioli, pork cheek, Iberia ham, Cuban style shredded beef and sangria. All were good. The spinach ravioli was typical to North American food. Rating: 1 - Poor, 2 - OK, 3 - Good, 4 - Very Good, 5 - Excellent read more
7 years ago
We got into Madrid from Paris at 11 am. We had a bit of a frustrating experience trying to check in to our Airbnb. They were strict in the 3 pm check in. So here we are lugging around our luggage through the Metro stations. We were all hungry so we, like most of you, took to Yelp to find a spot to eat. We found El Sur! It was a God send! Now, they set the bar real high for any other restaurant experience you'll have in Madrid. The food and drinks are superb and the customer service is phenomenal! We had the shrimp in garlic aioli, pork cheek over mash, the octopus, and the paella. I would rethink this. " Should I try this restaurant first or should I close out my Madrid visit with an exceptional experience at El Sur? Well I guess you'll have to make that decision. As for us, it was a great decision to go here first! read more
8 years ago
El Sur was located just around the corner from our Airbnb in Madrid, and we enjoyed the first meal of our vacation there. The garlic shrimp were hands down the best of our entire trip (and, believe me, I tried them everywhere I went!). I couldn't resist dragging the fresh, crusty bread through the garlic butter sauce! We also enjoyed a cheese and charcuterie plate, plus a slice of Spanish omelet. The omelet came dusted with some seasonings which added a great flavor to the dish. We enjoyed our meal with a bottle of rosé. The following day, we returned for afternoon gin and tonics at the bar. We were given some olives and nuts as a snack which was a nice touch. Solid local spot perfect for lunch or a snack. read more
8 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
Oh my God! So tasty! This place is an incredible possibility to try delicious food in Madrid! Enjoy your time, Best wishes and thanks a lot! read more
More info about El Sur
Calle de la Torrecilla del Leal, 12
28012 Madrid
Spain
Lavapiés y Embajadores
Directions
915 278 340
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El Sur - tapas - Updated June 2026
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