The food was excellent. I went for a late lunch and the wait time was almost non-existent. I was eating alone that day and I think this place would be even better with a group. the way tapas is supposed to be. read more

Had an early weeknight dinner with a few friends and really enjoyed Olde Madrid. We shared a few tapas and salmon paella. The standouts were the calamari, a fabulous garlic shrimp, huge mouthwatering bacon wrapped scallops, and a tasty roasted veggie salad. The paella was surprisingly good--given recent reviews. We also enjoyed a wonderful Tempranillo (Spanish wine) and ended the meal with a fabulous warm banana topped with caramel sauce and ice cream. The restaurant was empty when we arrived, but teaming with people as the evening progressed. We ate, gabbed and were among the last to leave--never rushed and never hurried. read more

Decent tapas. Great sangria. Fantastic setting.

I have to say I took my mom to try this new restaurant that we heard of. It is actually pretty good, although overpriced, most of the food seems to be like appetizers except for the paella dish which is huge and a lot of food. The little empanada appetizers were good! The waiters seem to be a bit standoffish and seem to be annoyed to serve you. They prefer the regulars, but overall, was good. Fresh food! read more

Had the most awesome beef stew yesterday at Olde Madrid. The flavors were delicious, it was loaded with goodies, and plenty enough to take home leftovers. Granddaughter had portobello sandwich, again amazingly good. We had the potato/zucchini pancakes for an appetizer, delish! Atmosphere was old world and lovely. Definitely going back and it is our fav new place. Prices are reasonable, portions large. read more

Best authentic cuisine in town. Must dine here if you are in the area! I recommend the Sangria, paella, and wings! But really everything is amazing! Do not expect your food immediately. The food is made from scratch and is not microwaved like many other restaurants. Better flavors this way. read more

I hope someone from Spain visits this restaurant soon to let the owner know how bad it is. The décor is TERRIBLE. The lighting is TERRIBLE. The table seating is TERRIBLE. The food is worse than TERRIBLE!!!! We ordered a pitcher of sangria, it was all ice and tasted more like watered down sangria. Then we ordered the goat cheese appetizer and it was gross and surrounded by tasteless tomato sauce. The main coarse was the salmon and shrimp paella. EVERYTHING WAS EITHER FROM A BOX OR FROZEN. THE RICE WAS FROM A BOX. THE SALMON AND SHRIMP WERE FROZEN, NOT FRESH. THE WORST PART, IT WAS FROZEN PEAS AND CARROTS ADDED. It just was a horrible dining experience. Not too mention, the waiter only visited us twice. Not even asking how we liked our food. We did bring it home to give to the wildlife and I am sure the skunks appreciated it more than we did. I hope the owner sees this and hires a decorator, new staff and a cook who know Spanish food. read more

When people talk about Spain, they talk about wine and raucous nights out. Olde Madrid is not about those things, although the food is quite good. The atmosphere lacks the zest for life that you would expect: there's no vibrance, no youthfulness, not even music. They would be wise to hire a designer or party planner who can recreate the Spanish spirit and help everyone forget they're in Racine. That said, the seafood (marisco) paella is a dream--perfectly simmered calamari and cod, mussels piled high--it might be the single best dish in Racine. Sadly, they are missing the opportunity to be a destination. read more

Last night, our friends suggested we head to Olde Madrid for dinner. I was nervous after our last experience. Thankfully, this was a really great experience. The four of us ordered enough food for 12 or so. Our waiter, Sergio, was wonderful- attentive and friendly. We ordered a paella for each couple. Not necessary! You could really share one order for 4, but we all have great leftovers. The tapas plates were large. All of the food was fresh and delicious. The red sangria was fruity and light enough that the pitcher we shared at the table was not overwhelming. We had Beef Empanadas, Rosemary Chicken and the cheese plate with a Chicken, shrimp and chorizo paella. My husband had the chocolate cake for dessert, while I shared the goat cheese/honey/ and pecan tapa with the other couple. The chef came out and greeted us. It was like a completely different restaurant from last time and the biggest difference was the service. It was wonderful. I am genuinely delighted to be able to add Olde Madrid back into rotation. read more

Very good food and atmosphere. I enjoyed the variety of menu items. The tapas were all tasty and served as they should be (I've been to Spain), however, the Spanish rice could have been better. I had better Spanish rice in Spain and this was unlike that in Spain. We did not wait long, and loved the decor. Service was fine. read more

We just had the best date night here. First, we ordered several tapas dishes and it would be hard to determine which was best because everything was excellent. Lots of unique flavors, everything cooked perfectly, it was all excellent. The waiter was so attentive and kind and gave excellent service all night (and we were there for a while because we were enjoying everything). We even met the chef and owner who was also super kind and gracious. Oh, and my husband, the pickiest wine guy I know, loved his glass of Spanish red. We will be back soon! read more

We love this place. We come here frequently and never have had a less than stellar meal. The zucchini fritters are amazing--crispy coating over a tender slab of zucchini, the chicken with cherries is really yummy and the papas bravas are a must have. Potatoes in a spicy chili sauce with just the right level of heat. Mama Chuys Bistec is also one of our regular choices and never disappoints. The paellas are good, but would be diners should note that these take longer to come to the table. We tend to dine mid-week as Friday and Saturday the place is packed and there is usually a wait. read more

Disappointing. Poor service. My wife and I would wait 20 minutes without seeing our server. Mediocre food. We enjoyed the crab cakes and sangria. The matador paella was not good.... rice could have been rice a roni and the shrimp were over cooked. Will not eat here again. read more

We've been to a very popular tapas restaurant in Chicago, but Olde Madrid beats the pants off that place. The quality in the recipes and preparation are outstanding. The flavors were excellent. In our party of 6, and 10 different dishes ordered, no one could decide which dish was their favorite. Excellent food and excellent wait staff! read more

Terrific food and service. Took my husbad here for his birthday. Totally blown away. Waitstaff couldn't be better. And food was to die for. Family coming up from Chicago... will bring them here. Gotta have seafood gumbo. read more

Have been going to Olde Madrid for a while now but have been remiss in getting a review out here. It's fantastic! Never had a bad meal. Just a few favorites: the Seared Scallops on Saffron Rice is the best! The Chicken with Cherries is a treat for the taste buds. Always trying new things there & never disappointed. Thanks to Natalie & Manny & their staff! read more

Our favorite restaurant in Racine! I asked about gluten free options and they went above and beyond to ensure my meal was completely gluten free. Even offered to circle all gluten free options on takeout menu for me- yay! Paella is amazing - my husband loves the gumbo and the beef stew. read more

The stew is AMAZING!!! The avocado crab salad is also great. Get there early...it fills up fast b

We needed a date night restaurant and didn't have a lot of time so wanted to stay in Racine for dinner. Hadn't been to Olde Madrid for about 5 years but thought we would give it another try. After waiting an hour for a table (no big deal, happy to see local restaurants busy on a Saturday night) we were seated and I immediately remembered why we haven't been for five years. The atmosphere is not great- on a cozy rainy night the extra bright lighting made us able to see every little thing happening at the crowded tables around us and made the candles on the tables irrelevant. Add a few more candles around the restaurant and dim the lights and it would compliment the beautiful wall color and up the appeal of this place immensely. Nobody wants to feel like they're in a school cafeteria while going out to dinner. Would definitely order the goat cheese, honey and pecan puree plate again, but the pastelillos took about 45 minutes to arrive- longer than the paella! The paella was excellent and plenty to take home for leftovers. Will probably return for paella takeout. read more

We really enjoyed our meal here, and we're looking forward to going back next time we're in Racine. The food was authentic, flavorful and satisfying. Our waitress was friendly and didn't mind taking the time to describe the few dishes that were unfamiliar. It didn't hurt that the sangria was fabulous! read more

Giving 2 stars because of the total lack of air conditioning tonight on a 90 degree day. Inexcusable, our entire party was very uncomfortable. C'mon, Olde Madrid, act like professionals and get a real air conditioning system. Avoid at all costs during the summer! Food was good,.but not worth it to sweat Iike a pig! read more

We have been here many times and have never been disappointed by the food. Manny's ability to combine flavors and textures is superb. A word to the wise...the place is small and the wait can be daunting at times but the food is worth the wait. read more

The people at the front desk were very nice; once seated, the food was a great disappointment. For a while, my wife and I have been exploring restaurants in the area. We have found some gems, but Olde Madrid was definitively not one of them. With excitement, we recognized the name of four of our favorite tapas. While enjoying sangria, we began to receive the items ordered, none of which resembled the dishes we have enjoyed in Madrid, Barcelona, and even in Chicago. It was not just the lack of presentation and deep-fry preparation, but the utterly lack of the vivid flavors, typical of Spanish cuisine. The Backed Goat Cheese was the closest to a tapa dish. This was a bit of cheese, afloat in a pool of sweet tomato sauce, and accompanied with lightly toasted white bread. The Spinach and Mushroom Empanadas and Solo Chorizo Dishes did not resembled tapas at all. It felt and tasted as if both items were deep-fried, an un-Spanish mode of food preparation, which killed anything that might have had flavor. We tried to find the spinach and mushrooms amid the oily empanada. The chorizo though, kept most of its paprika, hot spice, and abundant salt. The worse dish was the Seville Crab Cakes. A flavor of old cod remained in the overly fried cakes, which overpowered to extension the possible crab that might have been in the dish. Our server was kind enough to offer boxes for us to take items home. We were curious about the many positive reviews about the restaurant; now we are somewhat suspicious. If eating something different is your goal, you might try this restaurant. If having Spanish cuisine is your desire, you might consider staying away from Olde Madrid. read more

Probably our favorite place in town. Everything is always fresh. We've gone through most of the menu and I can't truly say there was anything I did NOT like. Whether eating in or carrying out, the food and people are great. read more

Great food and ambiance! The crab cakes are probably the best I have ever had at any restaurant. We love this place!

Ordered half the menu to try different dishes. Everything was absolutely delicious. The dishes are fresh and flavorful. Beef stew is a must!!! The owner and chef, Manny is very friendly!! Must try!! read more

By far my favorite place to eat locally. The owners are the nicest people you'd ever want to meet and the food is outstanding. I've never left there unhappy...or still hungry! The Almond Meatballs, Martha's Beef Stew and the Crab Cakes are among many of my favorites, but its all great. read more

I have been here for Lunch several times. All good experiences and food. The gumbo is absolutely outstanding! Not to be missed!

I really love Olde Madrid and could eat Maria's Beef Stew every day, that dish deserves 10 stars. I wish I knew what seasonings they used. My son loves it too. Always a treat to eat at Olde Madrid. I believe they are really good people too so that make spending my money there even more of a pleasure. read more

After dining here about 10 times, I felt I finally had to write a review. I've tried most of the paella varieties, and many of the tapas, and I've never been disappointed. All have been very good with wonderful flavors. The service has always been friendly - I've dined here with 2 people and with larger (10+) groups. There are about 8 varieties of paellas which you'll want to order right away as they take about 20 minutes to make. Then select from maybe 40+ tapas (appetizers) while you wait. For a group of four, a paella and 2-3 tapas are plenty and is very affordable! Fresh bread with hummus is made locally daily. On Friday and Saturday nights when the bar area is busy, it can get very loud in this small restaurant. All other times are very pleasant. This has become my go-to place for taking visitors out to dinner in Racine. Plenty of parking directly behind the building. read more

Excellent Tapas and drinks. What a great find. The bull fighter, muscles Catalina and goat cheese are excellent!

Exceptional value with large tapas and great service. The portions are huge and very shareable, especially for taps.

Just left there pissed off. Great food poor service. Had to ask for drink and refill. Had to ask for plate. Had to ask for my change and still didnt get it. Ill never be back. read more

A real gem in Racine. This is a place that people go back to again and again. Very excellent food and nice atmosphere. The waitress was helpful in explaining some of the dishes. I have never been disappointed. read more

Service was slow. Never got offered a refills on tea. The room was hot and loud. Difficult to carry-on a conversation. Food was bland. Had their Lightly breaded shrimp with Cilantro sauce. It wasn't lightly breaded - beer battered more like and didn't taste any cilantro in the sauce. The fire grilled vegetable salad had charred pieces of vegetables with no flavor. The dressing tasted like a creamy Italian and was like an out of the bottle dressing not fresh and unique.. We won't go back. read more

I called in a to-go order about half an hour before closing. When I went to pick it up, they had made the wrong Paella. Upon hearing this, they made me the correct order while offering me anything I wanted from the bar while I waited. I ended up going home with both the correct and incorrect orders. I passed the wrong order off to someone as I dislike seafood and they absolutely loved it! As always, the food was delicious and the staff was all very apologetic for the mix up. The Chef even came out to apologize to me which he didn't have to do and was appreciated. Great food and wonderful service. read more

Simply good food that is well prepared. The tapas are just a wonderful meal by themselves. The paella is also great, but we really do love the tapas. read more

So, I'm going to have to disagree with reviewer Tony F. below that Olde Madrid won't thrill you if you're from a big, metropolitan city with half a dozen or more tapas places. I'm from Chicago, have frequented tapas places here for many years, and when I want seriously good tapas, I'm coming to Racine. This place blows Cafe Ba-ba-reeba, possibly the most popular tapas place in Chicago, out of the water. A side-by-side comparison of their cheese plates - Olde Madrid's having a large selection plus fruits and nuts on the plate, while Ba-Ba-Reeba's has only a few wedges and a handful of (admitedly delicious) marcona almonds - is what seals it for me. The staff here is friendly, the restaurant is clean and comfortable, and the food is absolutely delicious and reasonably priced. Also, their signature dish, the seafood gumbo...I just have no words to describe how delicious it is. Worth a visit to Racine any day! read more