36 editor picks in Madrid.
36 spanish tapas places in Madrid we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Madrid | Spanish Tapas across every city.
Tapas are the everyday grammar of eating out in Madrid, and the bars cluster thickest around La Latina and the centre. Cava Baja is the spine of it, with Casa Lucio, Casa Lucas and Casa Mariano lined along the street, while Casa Revuelta near the Plaza Mayor is famous for its bacalao and Casa Labra for its fried-cod tapas. Juana La Loca in La Latina and El Tigre in Chueca show the range, from refined pintxos to generous free rounds.
Casa Lucio on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina has cooked the huevos rotos (broken eggs over fried potatoes) since 1974. Kitchen leans madrileno taberna.
OrderThe huevos rotos on a bed of fried potatoes, then a half-portion of the solomillo or the cocido.
TipBook ten days ahead by phone; Casa Lucio rarely takes online reservations. Ask for the downstairs dining room when you book.
Casa Ciriaco on Calle Mayor in Madrid has served the gallina en pepitoria (hen in almond and saffron sauce) since 1929, three steps from where Alfonso XIII.
OrderThe gallina en pepitoria with rice and the callos a la madrilena. Half-bottle of house Valdepenas.
TipClosed Wednesdays. The Tuesday and Thursday cocido is the surest order; the dining room is full of regulars by 14:30.
La Carmencita on Calle Libertad in Madrid's Chueca has run the 1854 taberna under Carlos Zamora since 2014, recovering the original recipes and pouring.
OrderThe Thursday cocido madrileno, the croquetas de jamon, and a vermut de grifo before lunch.
TipCocido on Thursdays only. Book a week ahead. The terrace on Calle Libertad seats eight; the inside dining room is wood-panelled.
Los Galayos in Plaza Mayor in Madrid has cooked the Castilian roast lamb and the migas pastoriles since 1894, with a terrace under the arcades and wood-fired.
OrderThe cordero asado from the wood oven (1/4 lamb portion) and the migas pastoriles with grapes.
TipBook the inside dining room for cordero; the terrace is fine for tapas but the lamb needs the wood oven downstairs.
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado (battered cod) to standing-room counters since 1924. Located in Centro.
OrderBacalao rebozado at the counter (5 euros per piece) with a cana. Add the callos in winter.
TipWalk-in only; the bar fills up after 13:00. Order at the counter; cash is the default though card now accepted.
Casa Dani inside Mercado de la Paz in Madrid's Salamanca has cooked the tortilla de patatas (sliced thick, runny in the centre) for 40 years.
OrderThe pincho de tortilla de patatas (2 euros) and the menu del dia (13 euros weekdays).
TipWalk-in only; arrive before 13:30 or expect a queue. Cash preferred at the bar; card accepted in the dining room.
La Falda de Chamberi took over the historic Sylkar space in Madrid in 2024 and now bakes the official 2025 national-champion tortilla de patatas of Spain.
OrderTortilla de patatas (12 eggs and 3 extra yolks, no onion) cooked to a runny middle.
TipReservations are wise after the 2025 championship win; lunch service from 13:30 is calmer than the dinner sitting.
Taberna Antonio Sanchez on Calle Meson de Paredes in Madrid's Lavapies has run since 1830, with bull-fighting paintings on the wall, the rabo de toro.
OrderThe rabo de toro with patatas and the callos a la madrilena. A jug of Vino de Pitarra to share.
TipClosed Sunday evenings and Mondays. Book three days ahead for the dining room; the bar takes walk-ins.
Casa Labra near Puerta del Sol in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado in iron pans since 1860; the PSOE was founded upstairs in 1879. Located in Centro.
OrderA pincho of bacalao rebozado (1.30 euros) and a tajada de bacalao (boiled and seasoned salt cod) with a cana.
TipWalk-in only at the bar; the inside dining room takes reservations for lunch. Cash strongly preferred.
Casa Lucas on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina is the modern taberna since 1997, with a focused carte of solomillo Carlitos (pork sirloin with cabrales sauce).
OrderThe solomillo Carlitos, the croquetas de jamon and the ensaladilla rusa.
TipBook five days ahead for weekend dinner. The bar at the entrance takes walk-ins for tapas; the dining room books fast.
Celso y Manolo in Madrid's Chueca is the 1928-revived taberna by the Carlos Zamora group, with a vermut barrel, tortilla de patatas and croquetas at counter.
OrderA vermut de grifo (3 euros) at the bar, the croquetas (3 euros each) and the tortilla de patatas.
TipWalk-in only at the bar; the dining room takes reservations. The terrace on Calle Libertad fills up by 13:00.
Juana La Loca on Plaza Puerta de Moros in Madrid's La Latina serves the city's most-talked-about tortilla de patata with caramelized onion, plus modern tapas.
OrderThe tortilla de patata caramelizada (pincho 4 euros, racion 14).
TipWalk-in for the bar; the dining room books three days ahead. The tortilla is sliced at the counter for the bar crowd.
Casa Toni near Sol in Madrid's Centro is the old-Madrid taberna for the offal canon: callos, oreja, mollejas and zarajos served from the formica counter.
OrderOreja a la plancha (6 euros), callos a la madrilena (8 euros) and a cana. A glass of vermut to start.
TipWalk-in only; the bar fills up at 13:00. Cash strongly preferred; the formica counter has no card terminal until 2024.
El Tigre in Madrid's Chueca pours large jars of cana and serves free heaped plates of patatas bravas, croquetas, jamon and bocadillos with every drink.
OrderA jarra of cana (5 euros) which arrives with a free plate of bravas, croquetas, oreja and jamon.
TipCash only. The original bar at number 23 is the loudest; the satellite at number 30 is calmer. No table service.
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana has poured the yayo (vermut with gin and seltzer, served from height) since 1928. Kitchen leans madrileno taberna.
OrderA yayo cocktail (3 euros) at the bar, boquerones en vinagre and a tortilla pincho. Round of cana.
TipCash only. Walk-in only. Closed Sundays. The bar is tiny; arrive before 13:30 or after 21:30 to find space.
Estado Puro on Plaza Canovas in Madrid is the modern-tapas room by Paco Roncero, with a clean white dining room, an open kitchen and a carte.
OrderThe patatas bravas (8 euros), the tortilla de Sacha (deconstructed in a glass) and the croquetas de jamon.
TipBook three days ahead for weekend dinner. The terrace seats 12; the inside dining room is the design-led room.
Taberneros in Madrid's Centro is the modern taberna by chef Estanislao Carenzo, with a market-led carte of tartares, croquetas and tortilla.
OrderThe steak tartare prepared at the table and the tortilla de patatas. A bottle of Mencia.
TipBook three days ahead for weekend dinner. The downstairs dining room is the original cellar; ask when reserving.
El Doble on Calle Ponzano in Madrid is the cana doble (double-pour beer in tall glasses) headline counter, with sharp Mahou and short-cellar wines.
OrderA cana doble (3.50 euros) at the bar with boquerones en vinagre and a pincho de tortilla.
TipWalk-in only. Standing room at the bar. Cash strongly preferred. The terrace is on weekends only.
La Castela near El Retiro in Madrid is the family-run taberna behind a zinc bar, with croquetas de bacalao, pisto manchego and the daily-changing pizarra.
OrderThe croquetas de bacalao, the pisto manchego with fried egg, and a tartar de atun. Cana de Mahou.
TipBook two days ahead for weekday lunch. The bar serves the same pizarra menu standing for half the dining room price.
Bodegas Rosell near Atocha in Madrid has poured the vermut de grifo from oak barrels since 1920, with a marble counter, formica tables and bocadillos.
OrderA vermut de grifo (2.50 euros) and a bocadillo de calamares. A pincho de tortilla on the side.
TipWalk-in only; the counter fills up at 13:00. Cash strongly preferred at the bar. The terrace is on weekends only.
Bodega de la Ardosa in Madrid's Malasana has poured the vermut de grifo since 1892 from the 30-foot zinc bar, with salmorejo, tortilla de patatas.
OrderVermut de grifo (2.50 euros), a slice of tortilla de patatas, salmorejo. Crawl in via the back door.
TipWalk-in only; the back room takes 8 people max. The historic main bar fills up at 13:00; cash preferred.
Yugo The Bunker in Madrid's Las Letras is Julian Marmol's one-Michelin-star sushi-and-tapas room, with the public dining counter upstairs and the private.
OrderYugo tasting omakase (€165) upstairs. The signatures are the nigiri de bonito and the toro tartare.
TipClosed Sunday; the upstairs counter seats 12. The downstairs bunker is members-only but the upstairs experience is the public one.
Bar La Ideal off Plaza Mayor in Madrid serves the bocadillo de calamares until 23:00 nightly; the standing-room counter crowd that takes it after the theatre.
OrderBocadillo de calamares
TipWalk-in only; cash strongly preferred. The bar fills up after 22:00 with the post-theatre crowd. Bocadillo 5.50 euros.
Pez Tortilla on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina serves 20 variants of pincho de tortilla until 00:30 nightly (01:30 Fri-Sat), with rotating fillings.
OrderPincho de tortilla
TipWalk-in. The pincho de tortilla classico is 3 euros; the rotating special 4.50. Cana de artesana 3.50.
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid serves the bacalao rebozado until 23:00 nightly Tuesday to Sunday; the post-Plaza-Mayor crowd still piles.
OrderBacalao rebozado
TipWalk-in only at the counter. Closed Mondays. Cod sells out by 21:30 on weekend evenings; arrive earlier on Friday-Saturday.
El Tigre in Madrid's Chueca pours jarras of cana with free plates of patatas bravas, croquetas and jamon until 01:30; the late-night Chueca pre-club crowd.
OrderFree tapas with jarra
TipCash only. Walk-in only at the standing-room bar. The 22:00-01:00 slot is the bar's late-night peak.
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana pours the yayo (vermut with gin and seltzer) until 01:30 nightly except Sundays; the 1928 working-class taberna still gets.
OrderYayo cocktail and tortilla
TipCash only. Walk-in only. Closed Sundays. The yayo runs 3 euros; tortilla pincho 3.
Cerveceria Alemana on Plaza de Santa Ana in Madrid pours tank Mahou and serves gambas a la plancha until 00:30 (02:00 Fri-Sat) at the long marble bar.
OrderTank Mahou and gambas a la plancha
TipWalk-in. The terrace on Plaza de Santa Ana stays open until 01:00 in summer; cana 3 euros, gambas a la plancha 12.
Casa Labra near Puerta del Sol in Madrid fries the bacalao rebozado at its 1860-founded counter, with the pincho de bacalao still under 2 euros.
OrderPincho de bacalao
TipWalk-in only at the counter. Cash preferred. Bacalao plus cana under 4 euros; the dining room runs more expensive.
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana has run the 1928 working-class taberna since its founding, with yayo cocktails for 3 euros, tortilla pincho 3.
OrderYayo cocktail and tortilla
TipCash only. Closed Sundays. Walk-in only at the standing-room bar.
Bar La Ideal off Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the bocadillo de calamares counter where a full bocadillo, cana and a slice of lemon runs under 8 euros.
OrderBocadillo de calamares + cana
TipWalk-in only at the counter. Bocadillo 5.50 euros, cana 2.50; cash preferred at the bar.
Casa Dani in Mercado de la Paz in Madrid has cooked the city's most-talked-about tortilla de patatas for 40 years; the pincho runs 2 euros and the menu del.
OrderPincho de tortilla, menu del dia
TipWalk-in only. Closed Sundays. The pincho de tortilla at 2 euros is the cheapest tortilla in Madrid; menu del dia under 13.
Casa Toni near Sol in Madrid serves the offal canon at counter prices: oreja a la plancha 6 euros, callos 8, cana 2.50; the whole working-day lunch.
OrderCallos, oreja, cana
TipCash only. Walk-in only at the standing-room bar. Closed Wednesdays. The bar is full by 13:00.
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado at the counter since 1924, with the pincho at 5 euros, cana 2.50, the whole.
OrderBacalao rebozado por unidad
TipWalk-in only at the counter. Cash preferred. Closed Mondays. Cod sells out by 15:30 on weekends.
El Tigre in Madrid's Chueca pours large jarras of cana with free heaped plates of bravas, croquetas, oreja and jamon at the standing-room counter.
OrderFree tapas with jarra
TipCash only. Walk-in only at the bar; no table service. A jarra of cana for 5 euros gets a full free plate of tapas.
Bar El Jamon in Madrid's Lavapies-adjacent Chamberi runs the working-quarter offal canon, with bocadillos de gallinejas under 6 euros, a racion of entresijos.
OrderBocadillo de gallinejas
TipWalk-in only. Cash preferred. The bocadillo de gallinejas runs 5 to 6 euros; entresijos racion 8.
Day trip · 10 hours
Discover the historic city of Toledo on a day trip from Madrid. Enjoy a wine tasting at a local winery, savor a tapas lunch, and explore the city with a guide.
Guided tour · 3h 30m
Get early access into the world's oldest restaurant before it opens, plus two historic taverns, all in one guided Madrid evening.
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Experience Madrid the local way on this deep-dive into the city's culinary scene. Enjoy a tailored journey from bar to bar, sharing dishes, stories, and the joy of bei...
