I'd had Casa Macareno on my list to try for a few years. I waited patiently as the staff seated…read moreothers who'd arrived after me, before being told I would have to sit on a stool at the narrow bar against the wall since I was solo. Service was slow; I ordered a tinto de verano and a water, and was approached again and had to ask several times. Then, staff were pushy about my ordering plates of food; no media ración or tapa-sized offerings. While trying to decide, I noticed lots of English speakers and direct asks for tips from adjacent guests. Only after I shared that I'd changed my mind about ordering lunch was I offered a complimentary dish of boiled potatoes with mayo (neither I nor any of the surrounding guests finished them)?! I couldn't pay and leave fast enough, though not before being shocked by the price: €8 (!). And yes, the tarjeta machine was set to ask for a tip (nope)! Too bad, as I'd heard good things about this spot and had excellent experiences elsewhere in the neighborhood/city during my month-long stay.

Very good food in a vibrant atmosphere. The staff is brusque but helpful (telling us not to order…read moremore because it would be too much food) (we listened, and they were right). The "false risotto" (orzo) with seafood is a particular highlight.

We were recommended this spot when visiting, and came for dinner on our first night out. They have…read moreall the classic tapas, and we got quite a few to share along with a pitcher of sangria. The sangria was a little watery for our taste, but not bad. The food came out quickly and we had quite a large spread - jamon, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, pork cheeks, spanish omelette, and calamari. Most of them were good, with my favorites being the pork cheeks, potatoes, and jamon. I would skip the spanish omelette next time as it wasn't quite up to what I was hoping for. Prices were reasonable as well for the portion sizes. Pretty good spot overall but not a must try.

This was one of the recommendations from my friend who's lived in Madrid for the the last 10+…read moreyears. For a chain restaurant, I think it's is close to as good as it gets. They don't take reservations so you have to wait in line, and depending on the time of night, it could take up to an hour wait. We came here on our first night in Madrid - it happened to be just around the corner from our hotel which was super convenient. We had a super late and big lunch that day, so we didn't go until around 11pm. It was a Friday night and we waited about 25min to get a table. It was quite cramped in there, with tables basically on top of each other, though that's typical in Europe. We started with a bottle of red and some small plates including octopus, ceviché, pork with caramelized onions, beef nigiri, etc. In fact, we actually ordered multiple orders of some of them cause they were so delicious! We were so incredibly full with the small plates we didn't get to order many of the other items from their extensive menu. I never thought I'd have room for dessert but when the server said they had hazelnut gelato I knew I had to get it. Well, let's just say we did not waste any of it! Even my husband who's normally not a sweets person ate his fair share cause it was so good! We had a great time there, and the prices were extremely reasonable. We liked it so much that we decided to come back 4 days later for lunch before heading to our next destination - Barcelona!

I can say, without hesitation, that this was the best meal I've ever had in my life. And one…read moreappetizer in particular, the Patatas rellenas con estofado de rabo (potatoes stuffed with oxtail stew) was the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. It was AMAZING! Everything was outstanding. The Patatas Bravas, the sautéed fresh vegetables with ham, the pork shank, the pork shoulder, the wine that was recommended by our server, and last but not least, the Flan...it was all outstanding. And the service was top flight. Attentive, yet relaxed. The ambiance was charming. Our table overlooked Gran Via. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. It is a must if you're in Madrid.

The food was mediocre and extremely overpriced. They charged us for bread service, even though we…read moredid not request bread or even touch the bread. The pork shoulder was overly fatty and greasy. Portions were small. Ambience was nothing divine. Would highly recommend going elsewhere.

With a seat directly on Plaza Mayor, good food and friendly service, we were very pleased with our…read morechoice. ChatGPT had us set to go elsewhere but we saw the crowd enjoying the food here, checked out its reviews and decided it was worth a try. I highly recommend the potatoes with truffles and eggs. The veal Milanese was a good choice with its sautéed onions, lots of Spanish white cheese (no bacon for me, but it comes with it if you want it). The view and the aura is pure Madrid!

The staff were very friendly and informative of the menu. The atmosphere was nice not loud…read more Separate clean restrooms which is important here in Madrid. Sangria was very good, along with the Croquetas and Pallea mixed.

One more star on the Instagram trail and I'd agree--it's our fault for not being more discerning or…read morefor staying on the beaten path. But Juana La Loca has an aseos issue. We sat at the bar, and all we could smell was the semi-clean bathroom--and I say that not from visiting it, but from the sheer odor. Things went south when a burly German Messerschmitt sat next to us and compounded the smell. I'm not being Teutonophobic--I'm just telling it like it was ( said every xenophobic ) The tortilla that lured us here was fine, but too sweet for my taste--like the rest of the pintxos. Or maybe it was the side of Clorox.

Someone recommended this place to my friend so we stopped by, and wow! Delicious…read more The Spanish "tortilla" was packed with flavor. The onions were jammy and so flavorful; they made this dish amazing. Definitely different from all the other tortillas I had. Grilled beef sweetbread bruschetta, with melted havarti cheese and chimichurri was rich but not filling, so I ordered the Red tuna tartar with wasabi pearls. My friend had the oxtail fajita- which she loved. All of the food we had here was great. I only wish we had been told that we could only get the dolce de leche volcano if we ordered it at the same time as our food. I was really looking forward to it. Instead we had the carrot and ginger pie (cake) with yogurt and the lemon pie. Of note, this place is small, so be prepared to wait. You can sit and eat at the bar.

Located a few blocks from the Prado museum, La Plateria offers some indoor seating and plenty of…read moreoutdoor seating (with a premium on food for sitting outdoors). Food is very reasonably priced for the area. Our server brought out a menu board written in English, which was very helpful. The food - Grilled Aspargus - grilled tender and gently seasoned Stewed Pork Cheek with Rice - this is comfort food - stewed meat, gravy, and rice - not complicated, but soul warming Patatas Bravas - a reasonable version Feel like the menu got off the rails a bit here - Duck Confit with Apple - used to a more spiced version with a pan seared skin. Duck is ok, the apple is really soft with tough skin. Paella Mixta - a very chicken and bell pepper forward version of a paella Chocolate à la tazo - hot chocolate - a thinner, less chocolatey version than we had at other restaurants. Also, it was a broken emulsion. Green Salad with Sardine and Fresh Cheese - I thought this was a weird mixture of greens, carrots, tomatoes, olives, sardines, and mild/soft cheese. It's true to the menu description, but never had this combo before.

I really enjoyed eating here. One fun fact is they have an up charge if you want to sit outdoors,…read morewhich is funny because it is winter and sooo cold outside, so we saved money by eating inside. I thought their dishes were all very flavorful and well seasoned. The duck confit was delicious. But the cooked fruit that it came paired with was a little odd. The paella rice flavor was good, but doesn't get served in a skillet like your other Spanish restaurants. There was no wait on a weekday evening at 7:30pm. Good value and we liked all the dishes.

Stopped in after walking around town and noticed this place was mentioned on social media as being…read moregood eats. I ordered the daily special and the food was good including the red wine. Good service and clean tables.

this place is more like a 3.5 out of 5 stars…read more this was our last meal in europe... sigh, i wish we were still on our vacation, but alas, we must return back to reality. during our last night in madrid we were on the hunt for paella. There were plenty of places to pick from in downtown madrid, but some restaurants were closed, and others were not offering it that early for dinner. sidenote: i find it weird that spanish people eat dinner so late!!!! anyways, we started the meal off with a meat and cheese plate and got the seafood paella. they also gave us bread along with tomato paste. honestly the tomato paste was very very simple and reminded me of salsa...lol. the food portions are huge! make sure you come here with a very hungry stomach or multiple people. paella actually comes with 4 different options: seafood, chicken, mixed or something else. and for 10 bucks, you really cant go wrong with whatever you choose. The one thing i would comment on the paella is that it wasn't as flavorful as i imagined... but really can't complain for the price i paid. the service is very quick, and the person who was taking my order spoke english and was really helpful.

My wife and I had lunch here at 4:30 PM. Many other tapas places are closed around this time. The…read morestaff was incredibly friendly, and the portions were generous. The restaurant was spotless. It's a short walk from Puerta de Alcalá, making it a perfect place to rest after exploring the sights.

Came here around lunch time, the place looks decently nice, a bit empty at 1pm but I think because…read morewe are early and most people eat lunch even later. There is the choice of sitting inside or outside, and we were indoors. Service was decent and we felt well attented to. Croquettes- Crispy potato-y outside, and cheesey and full of flavor and sauce on the inside. We got a full course, but these are so full and filling and gets monotonous so quickly, we probably should have gotten half instead of whole. 4/5 Red pepper stuffed with monkfish and prawns- By far the best dish here. The sauce is super flavorful, like a wine sauce with sweet tomato. The pepper is slightly sweet as well, and the fish and prawns are cooked very nicely and go great with the sauce. 5/5 Iberian Sausage- the traditional thinly sliced ham is better. We only got half but this tapa is literally just sausage and nothing else, and gets monotonous, and tiring very quickly with how chewy and salty it is. Eat it with the bread they provide. 2/5 Steak with peppers and patatas fritas- The beef is good, soft and flavorful, salted nicely, and on the juicier side. There's too much patatas fritas and that got filling quick. Peppers are salted nicely as well. 4/5 Overall, a very heavy and filling meal, nothing small about the size or heaviness of their tapas. Red pepper (Pimientos rellenos de rape y langostinos) is the dish to order.