Guys, I think I've done it. Yes I've done it. I've managed to find the best bocadillo de…read morecalamares in all of Madrid. I stumbled into this restaurant during a neighborhood stroll and left forever changed. The bocadillo is exquisite. Aside from that I've seen the roast chicken and it is something I will go back to try. Wine is relatively inexpensive and the service is quick and concise. Waist no time in coming, the calamari is calling. Los bocadillos de calamares en este sitío son los mejores que he comido en Madrid. El servicío es rapido y efectivo. Los precios son de los mas bajos. Regrets are a probar el pollo, y claro, otro bocadillo de calamares. ¡Aproveche!

Rating the flamenco show only…read more Me and my wife was in town for the first time and we definitely needed to watch a flamenco show. We saw this place through the main flamenco shows portal and purchased two show+one drink tickets. The venue was quite easy to find after you exit the Nunez Balboa metro station. The waiter greeted us at the entrance and escorted us to our table. The venue is small. It has two floors although the second floor was empty. We had a small table as we chose the drinks option. The show started at 9.30pm and lasted for nearly 90 minutes. Great singing, dancing and guitar performance. At the end we all got to celebrate the birthday of the guitar player and his son put on a show with his guitar. We paid 15euros for each ticket. It was definitely worth the price.

Nice place, not crowded, guess cause it's 230 am on a Tuesday, but have a good chorizo iberico, and…read moreyou get to hear good music and see a group of people trying to dance flamenco. Nice for a late drink and bite.

This was my favorite neighborhood coffee bar while living in Madrid which has expanded now to twice…read morethe size since I lived nearby four years ago. I always found them fast, friendly (enough), delicious and inexpensive breakfast--for about 2,5€ you can get a fresh espresso cortado and several fresh-fried porras or churros. Or for a couple euro extra a more filling choice is the Santiaguino--which is in the savory family as the common toasted baguette bread and grated fresh tomato (also a yummy breakfast choice) but instead topped with diced serrano ham, manchego cheese and olive oil. My family also liked the large English and American breakfasts, where you can get your choice of eggs and more meat. But little hits Madrid morning perfection for me than a cortado or hot chocolate, and churros.

We had a fun evening out at Madrid's La Coquette Blues Bar…read more Got there at around 7:30 pm - doors open at 8, and a line forms outside the relatively small place, so that timing was perfect. Settled into the very cool cavern-like subterranean space with rough stone walls, vintage blues show posters and a terrific Chicago blues soundtrack. A waiter who spoke English took drink orders, and everybody got bowls of sunflower seeds in the shell. It got crowded, but not ridiculously so, because they limit admission, letting a few new people in when others leave. They feature a rotating roster of blues bands who each do a three-night run. Check out their web site (it's their Facebook page) for who's playing. As usual when I see a music listing somewhere, I looked the group up on YouTube, to check out what they actually sound like. The combo we caught - The Maria Avilas Quartet - came on at 9 pm. It was a good-time Chicago-style blues band with guitar, standup bass, drums and a female singer, and we stayed for most of the second set as well. The crowd was really upbeat and friendly, and the beer was cold. Later in the evening, the waiter offered selected people (lucky us!) free mini-shots. Bottom line: we really enjoyed the place, and highly recommend it for a fun evening out.

Good, divey Blues Bar (live band) we found and jumped into after dinner. Got there around 11'ish…read more Had some beers, drinks, and listened to the live Blues Band which was pretty good. Good selection of beers and liquor... the bartender makes a very good Mojito (almost every table had one). Generous pours on all drinks. Decent beer selection. Seating is a little tight but it's not a big place. Looks like an old bomb shelter (cool look).

From the owner: Magnífica Cervecería especializada en cervezas de importación. Todo un clásico en Madrid. El sitio…read moreideal para empezar la noche con tus amigos y tomarte una de las más de 100 variedades de cervezas de las que disponemos. Cuatro Grifos de cervezas diferentes: Paulaner Heffe Weissbier, Paulaner Lager, Affligem Double y Guinness. Para comer puedes degustar nuestras ya míticas salchipapas, hamburguesas de ternera o pollo, tablas de patatas, croquetas, una gran variedad de surtidos de salchichas o nuestros famosos perritos Calientes.Americano, Aleman XXL, chiguagua XXL, Seny XXL y de Pollo XXL más de siete salsas a elegir. Disponemos de salón, pero si lo prefieres preparamos tu menú o cervezas para llevar. El sitio ideal para disfrutar en buena compañía con una buena cerveza.

This seems to be the place the locals are going. They do not have an English printed menu but one…read moreof the owners (I'm assuming since she wasn't dressed as the wait staff) was exceptionally nice and came table side to assist. I knew I wanted paella so she described the different types - I chose prawn and I believe monk fish, texture seemed like monk fish. She advised it would take 18 minutes and asked if I would like a starter so I chose their spicy gazspachio. First they brought a complimentary chef starter - finely chopped beat, some mustard and I would assume a type of mayonnaise to hold its shape from a scooper. Texture and flavor was very good. Gazspachio was a lite tomato base mixed with possibly celery and cucumber, very silky and smooth with just the right amount of heat and flavor. In the middle was a small mound of a tuna salad, complimented the gazspachio very well and drizzled with some olive oil on top. The paella was insanely good, nothing like you get in the states. It came with two whole prawns and two smallish (I'm American) pieces of fish but it turned out to be the perfect amount of food. The rice was soft and extremely flavorful, texture was like a good risotto, very moist but not as 'wet' as a risotto can sometimes be. The prawns were whole and if you're new to prawns might be a challenge to eat. I wasn't afraid to just eat the head and tail including shell, excellent flavor. I walked up from the Hotel AC Aitana, took about 15 minutes and you can do it mostly shaded by trees and buildings. Overall highly recommend and I hope this will give some tourists an English write up to read and inspire them to jump out of their English menu comfort zone and try an great local place.

Quality arroz. Very strong shrimp flavor in their version of the paella. Definitely go if you're a…read morebig seafood eater. The atmosphere is formal so try to make a reservation in advance.