Decent places to eat in Madrid

[Melman Giraffe]

Off to Madrid April next year for a long weekend with work to watch Real Madrid play, would like to go for some Tapas or Similar. Any recommendations?

Thanks

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Did Brentford draw them in the Champions league?

El Tigre on Calle De La Infantas is fantastic. The tapas is great, and free, so long as you buy drinks. But it's more a bar than a restaurant, no seats.

The 2 best restaurants in Madrid aren't tapas. I can't recall the Spanish name, but it translates as Quarters & Halves, a steak restaurant on Bolivar, near Colombuia Metro stop. Amazing.

Then the oldest restaurant in the world, Sobrino De Botin, for suckling pig. That's bang in the middle of town, near Sol station.

[tribalsurfer]

Here -> http://www.botin.es/en

Nice experience and not too pricey, just off Plaza Mayor.

[Melman Giraffe]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Did Brentford draw them in the Champions league?

El Tigre on Calle De La Infantas is fantastic. The tapas is great, and free, so long as you buy drinks. But it's more a bar than a restaurant, no seats.

The 2 best restaurants in Madrid aren't tapas. I can't recall the Spanish name, but it translates as Quarters & Halves, a steak restaurant on Bolivar, near Colombuia Metro stop. Amazing.

Then the oldest restaurant in the world, Sobrino De Botin, for suckling pig. That's bang in the middle of town, near Sol station.

I can only dream of my beloved Brentford being in the Champions league . Thanks for the heads up, i will take a look at these on Google and let you know which one we choose


Gracias

[Melman Giraffe]

tribalsurfer said:

Here -> http://www.botin.es/en

Nice experience and not too pricey, just off Plaza Mayor.

Thanks Will take a look

[NordicCrankShaft]

for a light lunch get to Bar La Campana for the Bocadillos Calamares, best calamari sandwich in anywhere,

[Melman Giraffe]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

This looks right up my street

[Kermit power]

Melman Giraffe said:

tribalsurfer said:

Here -> http://www.botin.es/en

Nice experience and not too pricey, just off Plaza Mayor.

Thanks Will take a look

If you go to El Botin, you go because it's the oldest restaurant in the World, rather than because it's a particularly good restaurant.

The first time I went to Madrid on business in about '96, my father went off to his study, and after about an hour pulling the place apart, came back with a menu he'd kept as a souvenir from an end of course dinner on a training course he'd delivered there in the Sixties, saying "this was supposed to be the oldest restaurant in the World, it would be nice to know if it's still there".

I took a photocopy of the menu so that I had the address, and discovered that not only was the restaurant still there, the menu was absolutely identical in every respect except for the prices!! When I showed it to the waiter and told him the story behind it, he told me that it was quite possible that his father or grandfather had served my Dad, as he was the 6th generation of his family to work there!

There are plenty of better places to get that sort of food in Madrid for less money, but it is worth it for the experience that comes with it. Don't, whatever you do, eat in any of the restaurants on the Plaza Mayor just above it, though! There you really are paying for location, and will get really bad value for money.

Another place worth trying is the Mercado de San Miguel, which is about a 5-10 minute walk from the Botin. It's an old covered market where all of the stalls sell various forms of Tapas, as well as having bars in there for beer and wine. Just find yourself a stand up table (if you can! It gets busy.) then take it in turns to just wonder off round the market and see what you can find to bring back.

[Melman Giraffe]

Kermit power said:

Melman Giraffe said:

tribalsurfer said:

Here -> http://www.botin.es/en

Nice experience and not too pricey, just off Plaza Mayor.

Thanks Will take a look

If you go to El Botin, you go because it's the oldest restaurant in the World, rather than because it's a particularly good restaurant.

The first time I went to Madrid on business in about '96, my father went off to his study, and after about an hour pulling the place apart, came back with a menu he'd kept as a souvenir from an end of course dinner on a training course he'd delivered there in the Sixties, saying "this was supposed to be the oldest restaurant in the World, it would be nice to know if it's still there".

I took a photocopy of the menu so that I had the address, and discovered that not only was the restaurant still there, the menu was absolutely identical in every respect except for the prices!! When I showed it to the waiter and told him the story behind it, he told me that it was quite possible that his father or grandfather had served my Dad, as he was the 6th generation of his family to work there!

There are plenty of better places to get that sort of food in Madrid for less money, but it is worth it for the experience that comes with it. Don't, whatever you do, eat in any of the restaurants on the Plaza Mayor just above it, though! There you really are paying for location, and will get really bad value for money.

Another place worth trying is the Mercado de San Miguel, which is about a 5-10 minute walk from the Botin. It's an old covered market where all of the stalls sell various forms of Tapas, as well as having bars in there for beer and wine. Just find yourself a stand up table (if you can! It gets busy.) then take it in turns to just wonder off round the market and see what you can find to bring back.

Great advice thanks, i would love to find a Tapas place where the locals go

[ou sont les biscuits]

Melman Giraffe said:

Great advice thanks, i would love to find a Tapas place where the locals go

Just find a place that's packed! It usually works.

Restuarant wise, if you have deep pockets you could try Viridiana in Juan de la Mena. The only place I've ever had dinner at 1 in the morning. Las doce en Canarias, as the waiter said when we got to the table

http://www.restauranteviridiana.com/

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Best place we went:

http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/en/

[Kermit power]

Melman Giraffe said:

Great advice thanks, i would love to find a Tapas place where the locals go

Madrid is OK for tapas, but if you really want to do tapas, head to San Sebastian. It's only about a 4 hour drive at this time of day!

[ou sont les biscuits]

Kermit power said:

Madrid is OK for tapas, but if you really want to do tapas, head to San Sebastian. It's only about a 4 hour drive at this time of day!

With all due respect, that's a it like saying that London is OK to watch a a bit of football, but Doncaster is the place to go to see a really good game.

Tapas originally hail from Andalucia - the other end of the country from San Sebastián - and IME of over 40 years living and working all over Spain - good tapas are to be had anywhere you find a bar owner who is prepared to put in a bit of effort. Given that there are more bars an restaurants in Madrid than anywhere else in Spain, chances are higher that you'll find somewhere decent there than elsewhere. Personally, I could recommend a few good ones in Zaragoza.....

[Kermit power]

ou sont les biscuits said:

Kermit power said:

Madrid is OK for tapas, but if you really want to do tapas, head to San Sebastian. It's only about a 4 hour drive at this time of day!

With all due respect, that's a it like saying that London is OK to watch a a bit of football, but Doncaster is the place to go to see a really good game.

Tapas originally hail from Andalucia - the other end of the country from San Sebastián - and IME of over 40 years living and working all over Spain - good tapas are to be had anywhere you find a bar owner who is prepared to put in a bit of effort. Given that there are more bars an restaurants in Madrid than anywhere else in Spain, chances are higher that you'll find somewhere decent there than elsewhere. Personally, I could recommend a few good ones in Zaragoza.....

I've not been to Andalucia, so can't compare there, but I've been able to find decent tapas in most of the places I've lived and worked, but Madrid has always been highly disappointing in that respect.

I'm sure you can get decent tapas there, but I've never found anywhere particularly impressive, whether looking for myself or being taken out by local colleagues. On the other hand, I've never struggled to find a really good restaurant there.

San Sebastian, on the other hand, is just bloody wonderful. The old centre is small and packed with tapas bars. I've yet to find a bad one, and all the ones I've tried have been at the very least the equal of the best I've had in Madrid.

The nicest thing is that you can just go from bar to bar on a tapas crawl, getting huge varieties of lovely food along the way. In Madrid, whilst I'm sure there are plenty of decent tapas venues, I'm not aware of anywhere you can have that sort of evening.

Anyway, I'm off to apply for my job with the San Sebastian tourist authority.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Kermit power said:

ou sont les biscuits said:

Kermit power said:

Madrid is OK for tapas, but if you really want to do tapas, head to San Sebastian. It's only about a 4 hour drive at this time of day!

With all due respect, that's a it like saying that London is OK to watch a a bit of football, but Doncaster is the place to go to see a really good game.

Tapas originally hail from Andalucia - the other end of the country from San Sebastián - and IME of over 40 years living and working all over Spain - good tapas are to be had anywhere you find a bar owner who is prepared to put in a bit of effort. Given that there are more bars an restaurants in Madrid than anywhere else in Spain, chances are higher that you'll find somewhere decent there than elsewhere. Personally, I could recommend a few good ones in Zaragoza.....

I've not been to Andalucia, so can't compare there, but I've been able to find decent tapas in most of the places I've lived and worked, but Madrid has always been highly disappointing in that respect.

I'm sure you can get decent tapas there, but I've never found anywhere particularly impressive, whether looking for myself or being taken out by local colleagues. On the other hand, I've never struggled to find a really good restaurant there.

San Sebastian, on the other hand, is just bloody wonderful. The old centre is small and packed with tapas bars. I've yet to find a bad one, and all the ones I've tried have been at the very least the equal of the best I've had in Madrid.

The nicest thing is that you can just go from bar to bar on a tapas crawl, getting huge varieties of lovely food along the way. In Madrid, whilst I'm sure there are plenty of decent tapas venues, I'm not aware of anywhere you can have that sort of evening.

Anyway, I'm off to apply for my job with the San Sebastian tourist authority.

Horses for courses. We loved the tapas in Madrid, particularly San Miguel Market. We really didn't enjoy San Sebastian to the extent we cut our stay there & left early.

Good job we ain't all the same though

[Melman Giraffe]

10 years ago i ended up in Benidorm (long story) anyway i was in the old town and found a local Tapas bar, sat down and asked the owner to bring what ever he felt was worth trying. It was one of the best meals ever all washed down with a chilled Rioja which seemed strange but was fantastic

Edited by Melman Giraffe on Friday 16th December 10:07

[Eversleigh]

As has been said Miguel is a good albeit touristy market but worth a visit.

Bar Tomate is a great place for dinner.

Was out two weeks ago and had a very good lunch in Tatel then dinner here which was superb http://lamaquinajorgejuan.es/

Love Madrid it is a great city - enjoy.