Casa Macareno is a spanish restaurant in Lavapies, Madrid.
Editorially verified May 19, 2026 by Elliot Marsh, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: Cheap working-quarter taberna with 90 percent locals; counter-only and outside the centre tourist corridor, but the croquetas rival any Salamanca address.
Tip: Walk-in only. Closed Mondays. Cash preferred. Croquetas, callos and a cana for under 12 euros at the counter.
Guided tour · 3h 30m
Discover Madrid's vibrant Lavapiés through bold vegan cuisine, rich history, and 3 curated tasting stops with drinks included. A cultural deep dive for vegans and non-...
Guided tour · 6 hours
Journey just beyond Madrid to discover the region's hidden wine gems. Visit two boutique wineries, taste native varietals, and learn the craft from a certified wine scholar.
Private tour · 3 hours
Get a taste of Madrid and enjoy 10 of the best tastings the city offers. This tour will cover all grounds with a combination of savory, sweet, and drinks plus city hig...
Address: Calle de Tribulete 6, 28012 Madrid
Bar Trafalgar in Chamberi serves the citys reference Madrid tortilla, sliced thick and runny at 13:00 sharp; a second batch comes out at 14:30 daily.
Why locals goPricey carte, no Plaza de Olavide signage, but the kitchen serves the city's reference Madrid tortilla, sliced thick and runny in the centre at 13:00 sharp.
TipClosed Sundays. Tortilla at 13:00; the second batch comes out at 14:30. The slice runs 6 euros at the counter.
Bodega de los Secretos in Madrid: tasting menu room. 17th-century wine cellar dug under a Madrid street, with the dining room arranged across 12.
Why locals go17th-century wine cellar dug under a Madrid street, with the dining room arranged across 12 stone-vaulted alcoves and a focused Castilian carte that few tourists find.
TipBook a week ahead for the corner alcove. Tasting menu 65 euros; carte 45 to 60 euros per head. Closed Sundays.
Tres por Cuatro is a small 24-cover Chamberi taberna behind an unmarked door; tortilla de bacalao and a daily market pizarra anchor the local carte.
Why locals goSmall Chamberi taberna behind an unmarked door, no signage, 24-cover dining room, the tortilla de bacalao and the daily-changing market pizarra anchor the local-only carte.
TipBook five days ahead for weekend lunch. Closed Sundays. The tortilla de bacalao and the daily fish are the headlines.
Casa Pepe de la Plaza is a Plaza Cebada working taberna with a 1956 zinc bar; callos a la madrilena in clay pots and vermut de grifo at 3 euros.
Why locals goPlaza Cebada working-quarter taberna locals send first-time visitors to; bullfighting prints on the wall, callos in clay pots and a 1956 zinc bar.
TipWalk-in. Cash preferred. Closed Wednesdays. The callos a la madrilena and the vermut de grifo are the working-day order.
Casa Salvador, a 1941 Chueca taberna off Gran Via, slow-cooks rabo de toro for four hours; the dining room is hung with bullfighting prints.
Why locals goCheckered-tablecloth, taurine-themed taberna in Chueca since 1941, on a side street off Gran Via, with rabo de toro slow-cooked four hours and a dining room hung with bullfighting.
TipBook ahead for weekend lunch. The rabo de toro (22 euros) and the merluza rebozada are the headline plates; closed Sundays.
Taberna La Chata on Cava Baja keeps a green-tiled facade and a back dining room; vermut de grifo 3 euros and rabo de toro 18 since the 1980s.
Why locals goCava Baja taberna behind the green-tiled facade locals walk past for the tourist circuit.
TipWalk-in for the bar; the back dining room takes reservations. Vermut de grifo 3 euros; rabo de toro 18.
