Casa Lucio

We tried this famed Madrid restaurant while we were there last week. We could see them shaving jamon (Spanish Ham) through the window and it did not disappoint. Our favorite was the Gambas Al Ajillo. The waiter called them prawns so I was expecting large shrimp. While these were just tiny shrimp they were delicious! They arrived sizzling in a small crock of oil and garlic. We also dipped our bread in this which you get a large portion of. The suckling pig was also great. The skin was crispy and the meat was perfectly tender. Skip the Huevos estrellados. It's one of their signature dishes but it's basically just runny eggs and fries and you can get that elsewhere in the city. The service was not good. I think they forgot about us as we were at a small table in the entryway. We had to keep moving our chairs so they could get bottles of wine. I'm guessing this is not the norm but that was our experience. Food was great though!

It is a highly praised restaurant in Spain, located in Latina in a street that is full of restaurants. We had a shrimps-on-heated -olive-oil-plate, as spectacular as it was delicious, an oxtail stew and a suckling pig, both succulent and melting on tongue. The list of desserts was unimpressive, we had a pain perdu which was the best that I’ve ever had. We had a glass of wine, terrific too.

Get ready to order, the Spaniards are very fast speakers. If you asked the right questions, they’re more accommodating. The food was good , los Pepinos Salos was excellent.

From the moment you enter you understand the other reviews and you’re like OMG I fell for it it’s a tourist trap. Use to be amazing but not anymore. Just go anywhere you can get similar food for cheaper… not bad but avoid

Enjoyed it, but felt a bit formal. We spent around €140 including a decent bottle of red. We prefer the more relaxed vibe. The Iberian meat starter was lovely.

Came here just for the garlic soup (sopa castellana) because I was feeling a bit sick. It was very delicious. Didn’t realize this is a fancy restaurant but they luckily seated me without reservation around 10 PM on a Thursday night. Service was exceptionally attentive and respectful despite the fact I didn’t fit in—wearing a sleeveless bro tank top, grooving to music on my headphones, and drinking from my water bottle. Would return (properly dressed!) and order more!

Absolutely loved our experience at Casa Lucio! The food was incredibly delicious, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the service was top-notch. I’d especially like to thank Giorgi, a Georgian staff member, who made our visit even more enjoyable with his kind attitude and professionalism. Highly recommended if you’re in Madrid!

I went there on a Saturday evening for dinner. Staff are very welcoming. The owner Marian was very welcoming and nice. She knows how to run this restaurant. The restaurant is beautiful, amazing design and comfortable seats. The food was 10/10. The desert was amazing. I ordered pain perdu with ice cream. Don’t come to Madrid without trying it.

This restaurant was recommended by several locals, so I had high expectations, but was pretty disappointed with my experience. We came here in a large group and none of the dishes the group got was appetizing. The quality was diner-like food in the U.S., but at expensive prices. The tomato and garlic bread tasted stale (1 star off). The fries and eggs were not seasoned and were a sloppy mess (1 star off); one person commented that it was like food for toddlers. The manchego cheese was eatable. The suckling pig was tender, but it was like pulled pork that one can easily make in a Crock Pot (1 star off). The waitstaff recommended rice pudding for dessert. I enjoyed the bruleed top, but the pudding underneath was very watery, almost with soup-like consistency (1 star off). Overall, our meal ended up being 70 euros per person. I have definitely had better meals in Madrid for less than that. The restaurant was packed, so I have no idea what the hype is about...unless they all like toddler food?

La Latina was bustling with energy on Friday night. There were a ton of restaurants and bars all packed so it was hard to find a table. We waited almost 1.5 hours for a seat at the bar here. Service was great. We got olives and some anchovies with our drink order. We tried green beans with garlic, Spanish omelette, and croquettes for appetizers followed by lamb chops and suckling pig. Everything was really good. The server even gave us a complimentary glass of cava at the end of the meal.

A friend that lives in Madrid recommended this place. I'm a huge fan of "huevos rotos" and he told me that here I would find one of the best if not 'THE BEST' in town. Of course I had to try them, so last time I went to Madrid I pay them a visit. Is located in "La Latina" the hipster/cool neighborhood. It could be hard to get a table specially for big groups, so I suggest to book in advance. I didn't had a reservation so I got seated at the bar as a walk-in. The place felt like an old classic Spanish restaurant that has the same employees since it opened many years ago. I'm saying that in a good way. I started talking to the server behind the bar and he told me some interesting stories about the history of the place and the owner LUCIO! He's been working there for more than 20 years. I ordered a 'tinto de verano' a cold, wine-based drink popular in Spain and the famous "huevos rotos". The egg was perfectly made, runny with some crunchy corners, easy to break on top of the fries. Delicious. It felt like an authentic home made meal. The lady seating next to me ordered the sucking pig, which is also a pretty famous dish here and it looked amazing. I'm definitely coming back for that.

Recommend by a friend who visited Madrid often, we were able to booked a last minute dinner at this very popular restaurant. They open at 8:30PM and people WITH reservations were already lining up at the front door. A very traditional looking Spanish restaurant with very friendly staff. The food was rather good especially the egg omelette. We tried their roasted suckling pig and found it to be just as good as Casa Botin. Their clam dish was very tasty and one can eat a whole dinner with just the bread dipping in the clam sauce. 3 course Dinner with 3 drinks for two was under $90. Not bad at all. Their menu was rather extensive so one could comeback to try their other dishes.

I have been coming to this restaurant for over 45 years, I came here five years ago and it was still great so I have recommended it many times to friends who visit from the US. We had lunch there last week and the food could only be described as awful. We ordered the fillet, the Entrecôte, eggs over French fries, the green bean, and the flan. The meats were tough, the entrecôte was simply not edible, it was more like tough rubber, the eggs over French fries were completely tasteless and the green beans were overcooked and tasteless. The flan also had a funny chemically taste to it. I think after the father retired and they gained fame with the tourist community, they decided to cut costs and maybe buy cheaper meat and probably don't have the same great cooks anymore. Sadly, this was the last time that I will visit Casa Lucio.

Huge disappointment. Definitely worth skipping if you're someone who loves fine Spanish food and service. The elegance and professionalism I expected was totally missing. The wait staff is rushed and unfriendly, with multiple waiters constantly coming by asking us the same thing over and over - it felt like they were poorly trained and lacking in coordination. We made reservations weeks in advance and confirmed an hour before the restaurant opened, yet though we arrived fourth in line we were put in a side room, with a table facing the wall. All that wouldn't be so bad if the food were better! The soup was cold, and the steak was very fatty. I can't think of a good thing to say.

For a good meal in a nostalgic atmosphere, you'll want to check out Casa Lucio. It came recommended by a local, so we headed over. We did not make reservations and got super lucky on a random weekday, with three seats at the bar. The decor is fitting for the ambiance they are trying to convey. Upscale casual. White table cloths and linens, without the stuffy vibe. On a rainy Spring day, the white bean stew was just perfect. Creamy, without being heavy. The mixed vegetables were fine. Nothing fancy and I would maybe not order it again, but after days of jamón y queso, my body needed a vegetable. Lastly, we had the beef brisket stew. Flavorful and well prepared.

Some good food some asi asi. Service ranged from jerks to nice. Wine was stellar (Cune reserva), beef tail and artichokes were bland. Eating at bar brought lots of drama from staff

This is one of those old classic restaurants that has enjoyed a good reputation for serving fresh quality foods. Located near Plaza Mayor, but not so close as to be considered a "touristy" restaurant, this place is worth a try. The service is great and the pricing is affordable. If you find yourself in the area, I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Casa Lucio has an elegant dining space on Calle de la Cava Baja. Huevos Rotos is a simple dish with French fries, sunny side fried eggs, and salchichón sausage. The crispy potatoes go well with the runny egg yolks and savory sausage bits. It is with this dish where we learn how to "mojar" the bread in the sauce to mop up the flavors. It is perfectly acceptable in Spain to take a hunk of bread and dunk it in the communal plate. They have a great dish with mushrooms coated with foie gras. The flavors are so rich and creamy.

We had lunch at this very busy restaurant on our last day in Spain. The restaurant reportedly has lots of history, it has the feeling of an old school tavern with the servers all wearing white jackets and the dining room separated into smaller areas. We made reservations well in advanced and we recommend doing that since they get booked up. The food was ok, but the service was a bit off, our server was kind of standoffish and not very attentive. The suckling pig was just a piece, kinda like a quarter, and it was definitely delicious although I would have liked a few more potatoes served with it.

Como siempre, una excelente cocina. El servicio muy bueno. Excelente para la gente extranjera. Puedes probar las delicias españolas. Felicidades!!!

Casa Lucio es un lugar encantador. Menú lleno de platos tradicionales y es todo una institución en Madrid

This place is overpriced and overrated. The space has character and it has an old school taberna feeling that is attractive. But the food is mostly quite below standards. The huevos rotos taste like frozen fries with not well done fried eggs. In a city where fried eggs with "puntillas" reached the category of an art, these eggs are a sacrilege. There are much better tabernas in Madrid, this became a trap for misinformed foreign turists.

Make reservations if you don't want to sit at the bar! But I'm glad we didn't because we ended up having the best experience at the bar. One of the servers gave us free wine, and a taste of cheese/salumi. Then ended up surprising us with his choice of dessert. P.S. the complimentary chips with sardines? Delicious! We also saw Lucio himself, and that was kinda cute. Huevos Estrellados (€12)- 4/5 This is quite the popular dish in Spain and it was pretty yummy. Eggs on top of fries, I mean what else can I ask for? Maybe a little more salt haha. But anyways, I really enjoyed the fries and the combination altogether. Rape (€25)- 4.5/5 This is not what you think it is... it's actually a delicious monkfish! Two pieces of monkfish with potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus in a delicious sauce. Lemon with fish? There's absolutely nothing better than that. The only bad part was that it was hot out of the kitchen but more warm. Pan Perdido (€6.60)- 4/5 First off, the icecream that it came with is AMAZING. It had little nuts inside of it and seriously... this dessert was unique and not like anything I've ever tried. It sort of tastes like flan and has a foam underneath it. Anyways, this is not your typical boring dessert! I would recommend it! :)

I heard about this restaurant about 2 years ago while watching a TV show but did not make a note of what show. However, I bookmarked it on Yelp. That turned out to be a really great idea, on our recent visit to Madrid, Spain. It was worth the cab fare. The waiter guided us into not over ordering ( this is always a big + in my book). We had a delicious lettuce and tomato salad that needed no seasoning. Two small spinich epinadas, and the most delicious soft eggs lightly chopped over potato fries. All of this went nicely with the bread that was waiting on the table when we sat down. By the way, the waiters are all pro's with starched white jackets and ties. Very smart looking. We arrived for lunch around 1 PM and by the time we left the place was full. (Seemed like all locals)

My husband and I got a couple different recommendations to come here and it did not disappoint; it was the highlight of our trip to Madrid. The food and wine were absolutely delicious, the ambience of the restaurant was wonderful, and the service was incredible. A perfect end to a great day out exploring the city.

Old. School. Madrid. I have heard that Penelope Cruz and the King of Spain have dined here. I don't doubt it. Walking into Casa Lucio, you step back in time, when restaurants are a series of communal brick-lined caves and the waiters wear white jackets. The ancient Lucio himself greeted us. (Born in 1933, still kickin' it.) All the tables were full when we arrived, so we were invited to stand at the bar. We ordered drinks. My fiancee had the best sangria we've ever tasted. They make each glass fresh, right in front of you. In accordance with a dying custom, we were given a free tapa with our drink orders. I believe our first was a plate of cold anchovies. I HATE fish. And I really hate raw fish. And I really hate raw fish that has scales on it. And I really hate seeing the outline where the fish's spine used to be. But this is Spain and we were given this cold plate of fish for free and Lucio and the bartender were looking at me so I plastered on a smile and bit down on this salty, oily thing. I took one for the team. I would normally never order this, but I'm not going to be all American about it and turn my nose up, even though seeing that nasty thing triggered my esophageal fight-or-flight reflex. Thankfully, our next drink order came with manchego cheese and bread. We gladly scarfed that down. Soon, our table was ready. (Luckily, the waiter brought our disgusting plate of cold fish so we could continue not eating that at our table.) The prices are very high at Casa Lucio, but I enjoyed the food. I had the solomillo plancha (grilled sirloin steak). Not a ton of steak for 25 €, but it was cooked perfectly medium rare. The crowd is interesting. We sat next to one table that looked like the cast of the Spanish version of "The Sopranos," while the other table had three pretty young Asian women fawning over a long-haired Caucasian guy with terrible BO, a man bun and a tank top. Please, dress a little classy when you come. Lucio is old and he deserves respect. They do have English menus available and our waiter was patient as we stumbled in Spanish and English. Our final bill came to 69 €, which should have been higher, but my fiancee only ordered two small dishes. Why is the asparagus 14 €? (It also doesn't look like asparagus. It's huge and the skin was taken off and I'm going to shut up because there's probably a very good old school Spanish reason and I don't want to be an ugly American.) I recommend traveling back in time to Casa Lucio. It appears to be a national treasure. Note: According to their website, Casa Lucio closes down for the entire month of August. Weird.

A friend who had been to Madrid highly recommend this place so even before arriving to Madrid I email the restaurant and made reservations (strongly suggest you have reservations). We arrived about half an hour before our reservation time so we decided to go have a drink across the street which was a great place. Exactly at 9pm (Spaniards eat pretty late) we crossed the street and were seated immediately on the second floor. From the minute we walked in to after we pay the bill the service was excellent. We started with revuelto which doesn't sound or look amazing but trust me it is. It's scramble eggs, mushrooms and shrimp. It was delicious and a very generous serving. I got to try the pork and steak and they were both delicious. Everything here was great and you won't be disappointed

This is one of the classic Madrid eateries. We had a nice tapas dinner. Service was attentive and all the different tapas were quite tasty. They are known for the "fried eggs over French fries" and what a nice combination. While there are thousands of excellent tapas options in Madrid, this should be on your list of places for the history of the restaurant.

We walked to La Latina district on this, our third evening in Madrid, hoping to come upon some street musicians (Ataca Paca) we had watched entertain a large crowd the day before near Corte Iglesias--a large shopping mall in central Madrid. Unfortunately, we did not find them. However, we came upon Casa Lucio, a restaurant that had been recommended to us by the staff at our hotel, and--of all people--a clerk in a nearby pharmacy. We had been told we would probably need a reservation, but since we were already there, we decided to give it a go. To our good fortune, they were able to seat us. First and foremost, our waiter (José) was superb. While we made our appetizer choices based on what we had learned from our tapas tour two days earlier, he guided us through our main course menu selection. We enjoyed boquerenos en vinagre (anchovy fillets in vinegar), huevos con patatas (fried eggs over easy on French fried potatoes), and churrasco, which in our case was a large grilled ribeye. For desert we shared Spanish flan, with ice cream, and espresso. During our meal, we also polished off a bottle of 2011 Mugo Rioja Soleccion Especial Everything was prepared and served to perfection! ¡Muchas gracias a José, y Casa Lucio! Very well done!!

What a 5 star exterior had at lunch today. From start to finish the food was excellent and the service warm and welcoming. We ventured out trying their famous egg dish fir a starter and we were so glad we did. We had a fresh green salad pork and lamb. It was an extvalue and a memorable experience. 2 friends traveling from California this was one our favorite adventures. The house wine was an excellent pairing with our meal.

One of the best restaurants around. This is the place to get carrillada...a very tender meat dish as well as huevos estrellados which was invented here!!

This is the kings restaurant and most US President went in town do Make it a point to visit this palace of gastronomy, I been coming here since I was a very young GI in the US Army station in Germany and this Restaurant never ceases to amaze me, the prices are very affordable, great service with a smile at this historic Madrid institution. Dress confortable your here to have a great meal And not to impressed any one. Best of Madrid. PS. Do make. A reservation in advance

Superb classic dishes. Great service. Not the least bit touristic...shockingly different from the Botin experience which is right down the street. Both are worthwhile. This is all Spanish families and groups enjoying excellent examples of local cuisine. Highly recommend!

DISCLAIMER: My review is pretty biased, given that my friends and I basically stumbled upon this restaurant after not being able to get seats at another place. This place is known for its ox tail. I shared the steak & fries and ox tail with another person. We were definitely more than full, but both plates didn't taste amaaaaaazing; they were just alright. I personally liked the steak better than the ox tail, as the latter missed its flavor from the stew. Maybe we didn't order the right things again, but I really didn't see the hype. Although we all agreed that this was the most 'tame' meal we had in Madrid and it helped balance all the fried stuff we were eating everyday. Caught a glimpse of Lucio on the way out. Seemed like a really friendly, sweet man. Happy that there's good hospitality here.

The staff wear the white jacket and ties like many good steak houses in the U.S. There are two levels. We were seated on the second level. We sat near back and it was really stuffy and got filled with smoke from the steaks. You should make a reservation. Food: Entre portions are a lot, especially eating the eggs with potatoes. (After sharing one order) Eggs with French fries it was surprisingly tasty. There is a bread at table its really hard. They charge 3€ for it. It was a waste just took a bite and it was thrown away. Hake fish with green sauce. Steak had it done medium rare and they provided a hot plate to seer steak. The steak was already cut into pieces (reminds me of how they do it at Peter Luger's in Brooklyn. We didn't finish our fish or steak. It was simply too much food. This was an experience similar to Capital Grill or Peter Luger's in NYC. If you're in Spain and have been to steak houses, I recommend you stick with tapas, no need to come to Madrid to get this experience.

Casa lucio is one of the star studded restaurants in Madrid. I was lucky enough to snag a table with out a reservation during lunch time. I suggest calling in advance to reserve a table as this place gets crowded very quickly!! The decor is nice and settling. The staff was helpful and the food was prepared in a timely manner. Lucio still walks around the restaurant to great the guest which is also a nice treat. I think the best thing of all besides the food is that the staff all wear white jackets which adds to the level of class Casa Lucio brings.

Excellent, fully recommended!!! Very traditional Spanish food, but quality is the best and the atmosphere is great!!!

Quick tip: Make reservations! Located on a side street is this traditional rustic Spanish restaurant. Don't get it confused w/ another as many of them have similar names. For foreigners, this might be a little confusing to locate but hey, if you want to dine w/ the locals, this is one of the restaurants to go to. Once we arrived, we were seated at our table. Service is a little slow but the food is impeccable. The must-get dish? The suckling pig! Tender moist meat entrapped by a layer of crispy pork skin. A nice perfect crunch with every mouthful of delicious meat. This was the dish that made my night. Don't expect a quick bite - enjoy your dinner in beautiful Madrid!

Make sure to get a reservation as soon as possible! If you are able to go, this is a wonderful dining experience in Madrid. The ambiance is cozy and wait staff is helpful and friendly. Our group ordered 6 different dishes and each one was perfectly seasoned and delicious. Everyone seems to get the Huevos Estrellados Lucio dish and, although you may not think the idea of runny eggs over French fries sounds appetizing- this dish is surprisingly delicious and flavorful! The oxtail stew was rich and savory, the ham and potato croquettes were crunchy on the outside with a delicious creamy center, the fried fish (rape fish) was delicately fried and seasoned so that the moist flavors took center stage- overall great experience. Wines and sangria were delicious as well.

If you want to be disappointed, definitely come here! We ordered the garlic shrimp, which was NOT fresh and quite bad. Additionally, we were a party of 5 sat in some corner and service was not up to par. The server came by only when called and they gave us stale bread as a starter. Would not recommend. Very pricey for low quality food, with poor service.

My fiancé remembers coming here as a child with his grandparents then later with his parents for special occasion dinners. On a whim early one evening we walked in without a reservation and was fortunate enough to be seated. He was thrilled to be able to now share this wonderful place with me. The meal was perhaps one of the best formal meals I've had in Madrid. I had the peas to start followed by the merluza (hake) while my fiancé had the sopa marisco and the solomillo (steak). Everything was cooked to perfection and the wait staff was friendly and helpful. I feel very lucky to have been able to dine at this very special restaurant. No wonder statesmen and kings dine here. It truly was a meal fit for a king.

I'm not sure why so many people boat about this place, not sure why presidents and kings or whatever come here... if anything I'm glad to see I have better taste than them. We ate the eggs with French fries everyone talks about.... If you wanna come to my house, I'll do the same thing for you, even better because the French fries didn't even seem completely fresh. That's what it is... eggs over French fries. What's the big deal about that? We shared it but still made us full before the meal. We ordered oxtail... we have a lot of oxtail back in Miami. I can tell you the oxtail looked very sexy, it slid right off the bone... but it tasted bland honestly. Good, but bland. I'm giving this place 3 stars, but maybe I should give it 2, just because you hear so much about this place that you'd expect a solid 5 stars, but this is at most 3, probably 2.5-3. Wasted my time here honestly. And it does get full very quickly, but why? With spazin having so many food places, this is just a disappointment. Sorry Lucio, try harder, this place ain't it at all.

This is a long and overdue post for Casa Lucio--overdue by about two weeks since i'm usually a lot faster at posting my reviews and I'm hoping that if I take my time I'd do this place justice. I see this place on top places to eat in Madrid and looking at the $$$$ it requires to eat here, i decided that it wasn't going to be worth my cheapness gene and wasn't very interested in coming. Nevertheless, when we were walking around the la latina and unable to decide where to eat, we came across this place and thought we'd give it a try. Apparently President GW Bush and his first lady dined here. Ambiance: Waiters dressed in uniforms and serving you with the old-school poshness and civility made the young couple (that would be us) a bit uncomfortable since we were dressed like young tourists. The place appears small, but there is a section in the back of the ground floor that is surrounded by bricks, making it quite romantic. We were led upstairs to a less romantic dining area but still had the dim lighting and dark wood. Every table has a huge round bread that will cost you about 4 euros. Service: If I generally rated service on its own, i'd give it a half of whatever it's worth because we had a fantastic server who was friendly and helpful, and then other servers who threw us a spanish menu (they had an english version) and didnt want to even talk to us. Was it good or bad? Depends on your luck of the draw. Food: We ordered the oxtail and veal and their house redwine (NOTE: THEY DON'T HAVE A WINE LIST), which was 16 euros for the bottle (reasonable) and quite good! The veal was fantastically tender and flavourful and cooked just right - bright pink throughout but no blood dripping. The oxtail was flavourful with a tomato base. The meat fell right off of the bone. I did not love the pearl onions that accompanied the dish, however. Their desserts were FANTASTIC. The flan was good but the RICE PUDDING, as recommended by our good server was phenomenal. I don't know where else in the world i'll be able to find it again. Price: The bottle of wine, the bread, the water, the veal, the oxtail, the flan, and the rice pudding did a damage of 77 euros. Not too bad. Overall: My boyfriend would give this place a 5-star but too bad he's not writing his own review ;) It's not a place i'd come on the regular or boast about to tourists. But it does have traditional expensive madrid cuisine thats fit for business dining.

A great way to end our travels. Throughly enjoyed the ambiance, traditional cuisine, and excellent service.

This place was highly recommended however providing the waiter that serves you is in a good mood you will have an enjoyable mood. The food was good. It so amazing how poor service and a poor attitude can ruin an otherwise enjoyable venue. Too many tables crammed into the upper area invites all guests to your conversation. When staff are prompted to assist they take too long to react, Even for Spaniards!! Beware the attitude the rest is good.

This is the Real Madrid Food (see what I did there ? :-). Very cool, grown up food and waiters who are so good at putting together a great meal that complements the table - they clearly have to live there and trade on their reputation, and recommend great value wine, starters and dishes of the day that you might otherwise let slip by. Sopa de Marisco (Huge amount of fish), Entrecôte on a terracotta skillet ensures its rare and scalding hot at the same time. There's a certain confidence too outside, drawn curtains, no menu outside- i.e. if you have to ask.... Go next door.

Classic bar with a signature dish, huevos rotos. It was ok, nothing spectacular IMHO. I didn´t like the potatoes, quite oily... not a fan. However, the fried almonds they served as tapas are freaking amazing, seriously! OK place to visit at least once.

This restaurant came highly recommended to us by a Madrilean student of mine in the states. We arrived for our 11 p.m. reservation and found the entrance packed but the bartender immediately served us with wine and a plate of cheeses while we waited a relatively short time for our table up stairs. It was a warm and welcoming crowd. We ordered the suckling pig and the huevos rotos (which weren't on the menu) among other dishes. Our waiter demonstrated a keenness to make our evening as enjoyable as possible, doted on us, and yet when he wasn't looking the maître d' swooped by and added some olive oil to our salads saying what we had wasn't enough. We had a wonderful time!

Gorgeous old fashion restaurant. We ordered entrecôte steak which came along with a hot plate for extra cooking if you want to. The waiter was wonderful and they even gave us a dessert on the house. I'll definitely get back there next time when I'm in Madrid.

Casa Lucio, Not your typical place you see around but in Europe and Spain everything is very different and this place falls under those circumstances, this little restaurant is located in the heart of Madrid,Spain not to far from the down town and surrounded by a bunch of building in a very busy industrial area of Madrid. Let me start of that when you look at this place from the out side you are like Wow, it is the same feeling inside, a tiny little place were it has a bar inside and ham legs(hammon serrano) hanging from the celing also inside when you walking you have a small sitting area to wait at. The place it self is small probably only sits about 50 people and looks like you are in an underground restaurant surrounded with a building mostly made out of rocks, there is a small table area in the first part of the restaurant and then there is a small tunnel that leads to another small area with tables. From what i heard from the person that took me here you have to have reservations because this place does get packed as the food is well known here, even the queen and king of Spain have eat here before. Most of the inside is made out of rock and wood with floors mostly solid rock making it look like a place from back in the old days. The food is awesome and I tried something new, eggs with french fries a typical dish of Spain as potatoes are a well used item in Spain fro different dishes. The dish it self was amazing and tasted so good and to run it down smoothly I had a coke witch it is true what most people say soda does taste a bit different in other country's. For appetizers we had some dishes and hammon Serrano(ham) a very popular ham in Spain and it is a bit salty but delicious and goes great with the cheese. The staff was very friendly and everything was great and came out in a very quickly even though they were busy. Awesome place to eat and i can not wait to go back, this is not your typical place and looks very nice inside, hopefully next time i will be able to get pictures of the inside. Definitley my favorite place to eat in Madrid.

The hostess was very accommodating and got us seated without a reservation. A very iconic place where the owner still goes from table to table to chat with customers. Excellent flan.

I don't know why it took me this long to write a review, however, I stopped by Casa Lucio when I was in Madrid for the first time and was recommended to go. I wish I remembered what type of fish I had, but whatever it was, it was great. The "huevos rotos" were phenomenal. The entire experience was top-notch. To this day, I still remember our server because he was so friendly and recommended great choices from the menu. A lot of the food in Madrid was too salty for my taste, but Casa Lucio was great!

As others have noted, the restaurant itself is a great space. Unassuming from the outside, but surprisingly large and grand inside. We ate upstairs, and my only grip was that the lighting was a bit too harsh for my taste. Very solid wine list - not sure why a previous reviewer said there was no list? We found it lengthy and full of a great range of options. Insalata mixto was your standard fare (the Spanish really do love their canned tuna). I had a delicious, butter-soaked steak and my husband the suckling pig; both dishes were expertly cooked. The dessert - flan - was the only real disappointment. Over-caramelized and burned-tasting, it left us fairly unsatisfied. Despite the issues with dessert, I'm still giving Casa Lucio 4 stars; the ambiance, efficient and professional service, and food overall were very solid. Certainly not cheap, but a fun special occasion meal if you find yourself in Madrid!

Our favorite meal in Madrid! The restaurant is a perfect venue, the service is outstanding and the meal was something I think would be akin to what Spanish families serve at home during special occasions. Not your typical tourist spot for sure.

Recommend by a friend and was worth the experience. Authentic Madrid dishes: eggs and potatoes, jambon, shrimp. Good service, nice atmosphere. Must try when in Madrid.

Ok but way over priced for what it is. There are much better places to eat in Madrid...

Known for their huevos rotos but all of their dishes are delicious. #restaurantsinmadrid #restaurantreview For 81EURO total, we had: - 2 croquettes with spinach - lentil soup with sausage (special of the day) - huevos rotos - garlic shrimp - endive salad - bread - 4 glasses of wine We were stuffed. I think for the two of us, four dishes (two small, two large) would be plenty. Everything we had was tasty, including the salad which was simple but dressed well and very fresh. We went there for the huevos rotos (sunnyside up eggs on french fries; a very Madrid dish) but that was actually our least favorite of everything that we got (though still worth trying). Atmosphere is classic. Dimly lit, white table cloths, multiple levels. Can dress casual or nice. Reservation recommended but wasn't necessary for us, even during high season at peak lunch hour (2 pm).