22 mid-range rooms in Madrid, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good rooms in Madrid — no surprise on the bill, real cooking. All Madrid food.
Taberna La Bola ★ 4.5
centro · Calle de la Bola 5, 28013 Madrid
Taberna La Bola near the Teatro Real in Madrid has cooked the cocido madrileno in individual clay pots over charcoal since 1870. The dining room is painted vermilion since the 19th century.
Tip: Cocido served at lunch only; book three days ahead for weekday lunch. Cash strongly preferred. No card terminal until late 2024.
Casa Lucio ★ 4.4
la-latina · Cava Baja 35, 28005 Madrid
Casa Lucio on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina has cooked the huevos rotos (broken eggs over fried potatoes) since 1974. The kings and presidents who eat here all order them.
Tip: Book ten days ahead by phone; Casa Lucio rarely takes online reservations. Ask for the downstairs dining room when you book.
Sala de Despiece ★ 4.4
chamberi · Calle de Ponzano 11, 28003 Madrid
Sala de Despiece on Calle Ponzano in Madrid's Chamberi runs the room like a butcher's counter: stainless steel benches, white tiles and the meat carved in front of you since 2013.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 13:30 for lunch or 20:30 for dinner. The bar stools are the seats locals want.
La Carmencita ★ 4.4
chueca · Calle Libertad 16, 28004 Madrid
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 vermut from the wood barrel out front.
Tip: Cocido on Thursdays only. Book a week ahead. The terrace on Calle Libertad seats eight; the inside dining room is wood-panelled.
Casa Gonzalez ★ 4.4
las-letras · Calle del Leon 12, 28014 Madrid
Casa Gonzalez on Calle del Leon in Madrid's Barrio de las Letras is the 1931-founded ultramarinos (deli-and-wine-bar), with 30 by-the-glass wines and tablas of jamon iberico, queso and conservas.
Tip: Walk-in only; the marble tables fill up by 13:30. Closed Sundays. The deli sells the same products to take away.
Bodegas Rosell ★ 4.4
retiro · Calle General Lacy 14, 28045 Madrid
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, boquerones and croquetas for the working-day lunch.
Tip: Walk-in only; the counter fills up at 13:00. Cash strongly preferred at the bar. The terrace is on weekends only.
El Zerain ★ 4.4
las-letras · Calle de la Cruz 21, 28012 Madrid
El Zerain on Calle de la Cruz in Madrid is the Basque sidreria with a coal grill at the back of the room, the chuleton de buey for two, tortilla de bacalao and natural cider poured from height.
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The downstairs dining room is small; the upstairs is the spillover.
Casa Ciriaco ★ 4.3
centro · Calle Mayor 84, 28013 Madrid
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 survived the 1906 wedding-day bomb.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays. The Tuesday and Thursday cocido is the surest order; the dining room is full of regulars by 14:30.
Casa Mono ★ 4.3
chamberi · Calle de Tutor 37, 28008 Madrid
Casa Mono in Madrid's Arguelles district is the modern taberna by chef Ramiro Vazquez, with a market-led carte of croquetas, tartares and slow-braised carrilleras since 2008.
Tip: Book a week ahead for Saturday lunch; the dining room is small. Lunch menu del dia runs 22 euros weekdays.
Malacatin ★ 4.3
la-latina · Calle de la Ruda 5, 28005 Madrid
Malacatin off Plaza de la Cebada in Madrid's La Latina has cooked the cocido madrileno in clay pots since 1895. The Vino de Pitarra (house red from clay amphora) is served by the jug.
Tip: Cocido served at lunch only, three days a week. Book five days ahead; cash strongly preferred at the bar.
Taberna Antonio Sanchez ★ 4.3
lavapies · Calle del Meson de Paredes 13, 28012 Madrid
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 on the menu and the original zinc bar untouched.
Tip: Closed Sunday evenings and Mondays. Book three days ahead for the dining room; the bar takes walk-ins.
Taberna Matritum ★ 4.3
la-latina · Cava Alta 17, 28005 Madrid
Taberna Matritum on Cava Alta in Madrid's La Latina is the modern taberna by chef Tony Sanjuan, with a focused carte of cocido, tartare and seasonal market plates since 2010.
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The terrace on Cava Alta seats six; the inside dining room is wood-panelled.
Celso y Manolo ★ 4.3
chueca · Calle de la Libertad 1, 28004 Madrid
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 prices in a marble-tile dining room.
Tip: Walk-in only at the bar; the dining room takes reservations. The terrace on Calle Libertad fills up by 13:00.
Estado Puro ★ 4.3
centro · Plaza Canovas del Castillo 4, 28014 Madrid
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 that runs the modern Spanish tapas canon.
Tip: Book three days ahead for weekend dinner. The terrace seats 12; the inside dining room is the design-led room.
La Castela ★ 4.3
retiro · Calle de Doctor Castelo 22, 28009 Madrid
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 of seasonal plates since 1981.
Tip: Book two days ahead for weekday lunch. The bar serves the same pizarra menu standing for half the dining room price.
El Sur ★ 4.2
lavapies · Calle de la Torrecilla del Leal 12, 28012 Madrid
El Sur in Madrid's Lavapies has cooked the steak tartare table-side, the croquetas and the pulpo a la gallega since the 1980s. The room is wood-panelled and the menu runs the Spanish canon.
Tip: Book a week ahead for weekend dinners; tables of four are easier than two. Lunch menu del dia runs 18 euros weekdays.
El Sobrino del Padre ★ 4.2
centro · Calle Toledo 23, 28005 Madrid
El Sobrino del Padre in Madrid's Centro serves lechazo (suckling lamb) from the wood oven, with the Castilian roast canon running through cordero, cochinillo and tostones de sopa de ajo.
Tip: Book three days ahead for weekend lunch. Lechazo orders must be placed when reserving; lamb is slow-roasted overnight.
Casa Paco ★ 4.2
la-latina · Plaza de la Puerta Cerrada 11, 28005 Madrid
Casa Paco off Plaza Puerta Cerrada in Madrid's La Latina is the 1933 asador that pioneered the cast-iron skillet chuleton service: meat is sealed at the front of the room, then finished in the oven.
Tip: Walk-in only at lunch; reservation taken for dinner. The downstairs dining room is the wood-panelled original.
Stuyck & Co ★ 4.2
chamberi · Calle de Modesto Lafuente 63, 28003 Madrid
Stuyck & Co on Calle Modesto Lafuente in Madrid's Chamberi is the American-style smokehouse since 2018, smoking brisket and ribs over wood for 14 hours, served by weight from the counter.
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter; the dining room takes reservations. Sells out by 21:30 on weekends.
Taberneros ★ 4.2
la-latina · Calle de Santiago 9, 28013 Madrid
Taberneros in Madrid's Centro is the modern taberna by chef Estanislao Carenzo, with a market-led carte of tartares, croquetas and tortilla, plus a focused wine list since 2009.
Tip: Book three days ahead for weekend dinner. The downstairs dining room is the original cellar; ask when reserving.
Los Galayos ★ 4.1
centro · Calle Botoneras 5, 28012 Madrid
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 ovens in the basement.
Tip: Book the inside dining room for cordero; the terrace is fine for tapas but the lamb needs the wood oven downstairs.
Los Patos ★ 4.0
centro · Carretera de Toledo 12, 28005 Madrid
Los Patos in Madrid has cooked Valencian paella and Catalan arroces in wide flat pans over a wood fire, with the duck a la naranja that gave the room its name as the headline dish since 1976.
Tip: Paella cooked to order requires 35 to 40 minutes; order at the start of the meal. Book a week ahead for weekend lunch.