La Barraca

The place is very nice and full of people. It is not very touristy, but all waiters speak English. The welcome dish was olives, garlic butter and bread which was nice. We got an entree and the paella they are famous for. I discovered the place as the "best paella place in Madrid", it was fine. The sangria was very good. The paella for 2 is very big. We ended up not eating it fully, but they don't offer another option (minimum 2).

I heard this was one of the best places to have paella, so we had to go. We had the seafood dish and found it lively. The ham appetizer was excellent too. I’m not a fan of paella, but was very pleased.

Had dinner at La Barraca, and it was a pleasant experience all around. I placed an order for Valencian Paella and Octopus Tataki. The octopus was delicious. Served With a rich, smoky and savory sweet potato purée, it was perfectly cooked. The paella was tasty but lacked the excitement and bold flavors compared to the octopus. The ambiance is classic, cozy and warm. The service was attentive and kind. Please note that the rice and paella dishes are priced per person and are sized for two people. For instance, a paella that is advertised at €20 will actually cost €40 for two. Although the costs are somewhat higher, they are commensurate with the calibre of the food.

I tried this restaurant in May. The food was good overall, but nothing really stood out. I was expecting a bit more from the paella. It wasn’t bad, just pretty average. The octopus, on the other hand, was good, definitely better than the paella. The sangria was also really nice. The atmosphere was calm, not noisy. All in all, a good experience, but I was hoping for a bit more from the food.

The restaurant was nice looking, the place where we were seated was a smaller area where only two tables fit and it felt really warm, not comfortable. Food was really good, a bit expensive to what was offered, a paella for two is like €50+. I didn’t like the service, we were offered drinks at the beginning and the waitress never came back, no chance to order something else. Another thing to mention is they don’t have kids chairs. I really enjoyed the food but not sure I would come back.

Refined and elegant atmosphere and presentation with rich and flavorful dishes. The tripe appetizer had a wonderful texture and flavor, the croquettes were crispy and not too heavy, and the seafood paella was well seasoned.

Awesome authentic restaurant in the heart of Madrid. This is a legit restaurant with great food, atmosphere and service. We ordered Tuna salad, Duck Paella and lot of sangrias.. since that day I miss the bread they served.

This restaurant is featured in a Japanese guidebook. As expected, it is a high-quality restaurant with delicious food and good service. The paella has an exquisite texture of rice and seafood broth. The omelette is fluffy. We ate and drank until we were full, and the cost of 90 euros for two people was also great.

Excelente servicio, deliciosa toda la comida, los postres fenomenal, muy limpio y organizado el restaurante. volveremos sin problemas. Que experiencia tan buena. Excellent service, the paella rice was delicious, the dessert was incredible, the entire restaurant was very clean, I would come back. So sad we live in the US. 5/5 I would rate higher if I could...

Nice spot with an unsuspecting entrance. We were ushered into a room which seemed like all the tourists sat (everyone spoke English). Everything we ordered was good from the shishito peppers to a variety of paella. Oddly, they come show you the paella but serve it from the back. Wish they had just set the paellas down and let us serve ourselves.

Come HUNGRY!!! The seafood paella was so good. I loved the flavor, and Al dente texture of the rice. The king prawn was excellent, and the lemon (ask for Tabasco) with Tabasco was so good. We loved the garlic aioli that came with the bread (1,90 euro). We demolished it. The salad was also a nice refresher with fresh onions, amazing olives, and juicy tomatoes. Service was one of the best we've experienced in Madrid! So attentive, patient, and kind. Ambience was slightly formal!

Known for its paella, we actually enjoyed the Iberian ham appetizer the best. The paella was nicely displayed and then split to serve two. Very tasty but a bit skimpy on the seafood. We did have better paella in Spain. Still worthwhile to visit.

Lovely restaurant decor, good pleasant service, BUT the food is very mediocre. Chicken in the paella was tough, crayfish difficult to eat, rice greasy. Edible but... Bread was bland. We were going to order a dessert but after the paella we decided to get a dessert elsewhere.

Food 4.0/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0 Value 3.0/5.0 Decor 3.0/5.0 Overall 4.0/5.0 Very solid paella (I had the Valencia). Walked in on a spring Sunday afternoon and had roughly a one hour wait, which was fine to spend grabbing a coffee down the street by the plaza. The restaurant was beginning to empty out from its last full seating by the time my apps were out. Wouldn't mind coming back.

Nice place with great food and sangria. The mixed paella is the best I've ever had. I could have made a whole meal of just the rice. Service was good and staff was friendly and helpful - which was nice since we speak no Spanish.

Out of Country Review - Spain Had dinner at La Barraca on Monday night. A cool experience in a restaurant with great tradition, but felt the paella did not live up to the hype. Quality: La Barraca is mentioned as one of the best paella spots in Madrid, so our visit was focused around that dish. I actually found the Desgarrat, a red peppers and cod dish to be the highlight for food, and the Sangria among the best of our trip to Spain. However, the Mixed Paella did not impress, primarily due to the chewy meat additions. I would suggest the seafood options, as those bites were best. Quantity: The paella is quite large, so expect a filling meal. Value: Fair prices for food, cheap drinks. Ambiance: La Barraca is a traditional restaurant located in Madrid. The restaurant has been in operation for nearly 90 years, and many elements show it. The dining areas have a very formal look, but it is handled as a casual meal. Very cool antique photos and design features fill the space. Crowd: Reservations required, large group and kid friendly. Service: Professional and kind.

GREAT food, GREAT service. Our gluten free/dairy free person even found something. We had a great time - group of 8

This is 100 percent about the service and not the food. We tried to get a table at this restaurant that I was SO excited for. When we got there, they were 'full' so we decided to do take away because I really wanted to try the infamous paella. 5-10 minutes later, two groups of two come in (with no reservation) and they were seated immediately.. while we were still waiting. If there was a cancellation, i feel like we should have been offered the table first since we were still sitting in the lobby. We were offered a table after I let the hostess know it was offensive. Wish i was able to leave a better review.. and about food, not how terrible the service felt.

I went to La Barraca restaurant while visiting Madrid. The restaurant is very nice and the service there is 5 . The staff are very nice and always checking on you. We ordered the seafood paella and it was good.

Paella did not have the crispy rice bottom (socarrat), the chicken in our paella was very dry, it was too salty. Mediocre at best. Go elsewhere

It takes a lot for me to give this low rating because I like to give a restaurant every benefit if doubt. But I have to say this is one of the few times ever where none of the people on my table (5 people) was able to finish their plate. Personally I ate only two spoons before I had to stop. The quality of food was bad at best. The staff was super rude.

I will not be able to order paella or sangria in the states again. The paella is amazing and it doesn't hurt that paella for two is just under 40 euro. Service was attentive and the ambiance nice.

All the paella dishes were excellent. We had the seafood (Senyoret), mixed, and countryside paellas. They were the best paellas among several restaurants we have tried during our trip in Spain. They also spoke English well and provided excellent service. We'd gladly go back!

Good paella and good food! I wish there was a little more vegetables and meat in the rice dish, but it seems typical of Spanish paella. The restaurant was really cute too. Also not too crowded as well!!

Lucky to get a table for 4 in the early evening. Seafood paella and mixed paella were both very tasty. COD fritters were also fantastic. Seafood soup was above average. For sure to try their paella if you are able to book a table.

La Barraca restaurant in the heart of Madrid right off of the Gran Via, was such a delicious spot for paella. If you are looking for paella, this is the place to go!! We got the bread appetizer, which comes with a piece of bread for each person, a bowl of olives and garlic mayonnaise. Very flavorful appetizer!! For our entree, we got the Valencian paella which has chicken and rabbit for the meat. It comes in a huge pan, and the waitress then plated it for us. The rice is so flavorful, and the rabbit and chicken were also very flavorful. Service is what you can except in Europe, it is a fancier restaurant so the waiters and waitresses are very nice and professional, but as you can expect, it can take a little time to receive a glass of water. The ambiance of the restaurant is amazing! It is on the fancier side so I would recommend dressing a little nicer. Pricing wise, it is standard for paella, around 20 euro per person. Overall I would recommend!!

Solid paella in a real sit-down restaurant setting - La Barraca is a good spot to get a non-market paella in Madrid. You could dress up and make it an event, but they'll take you however you come. If you don't have a reservation, come early if you want to walk in. Because everyone eats late in Madrid, early can be 8:00 PM. You won't get the best table in the house, but you'll most likely get a table. Otherwise, make a reservation to sit with the masses in a more lively setting. I like paella, but I don't find it to be a life-changing food. So while I really enjoyed our seafood paella here, I can't say that it's in the tier 1 dishes that I've ever had in my life. That being said, paella is not easy to make correctly, so I respect the work that goes into it. Since your paella will take over 30 minutes to make, be sure to order a few appetizers to keep you company before your big plate arrives. Pro tip: Mixed paella (meat and seafood) is really frowned upon by Spanish chefs. If you're getting a paella here, go chicken or go seafood, not both. When it's all said and done, expect to pay about 25-30 Euro/person for a memorable, yet unspectacular meal in Spain. The service is friendly. The food is solid. It'll look good on da gram. In the end, it's a solid sit-down meal in a restaurant that many recommend for tourists who want to have a pretty quintessential paella experience.

Our last day in Madrid and we were on hunt for paella. Stopped by around 1:30pm (think they open for lunch starting at 1:30pm) for lunch but didn't make reservation. Manager was gracious in fitting us in but informed us we had to finish by 3 pm which was fine by us. The interior is very nice and well decorated. Very comfortable surroundings. Staff was very professional and pleasant and was wonderful. Place filled up soon and I see why reservations were recommended. Numerous choices for paella - we ordered the seafood paella for two and it was excellent. Lots of ingredients and very tasty. We also had the tomato salad with tuna and the La Barranca musssle ( blend mixed minced ham/crap/muddles on shell covered with melted cheese - it was outstanding. ) Place does not disappoint and I would highly recommended. Note: portions are huge so come hungry.

We came here on a food tour guide's recommendation and I have to say, I was a little disappointed. The wine was delicious and we started with the Spanish omelet (my fiancé is obsessed with those things) and then got the mixed meat/seafood paella. Maybe it was because we just came from Barcelona where the paella is delicious, but this paella was pretty oily. We've also learned if the paella is bright yellow it's filled with processed products. It wasn't bright yellow but yellow nonetheless so I'm skeptical about it. I liked the restaurant itself and the wait staff couldn't have been nicer but I wouldn't recommend the paella.

A must visit if you are in town! This is a classic restaurant that has been serving traditional dishes since 1935. The interior design is classic and there are little rooms tucked away that can give you privacy and makes you feel like your in a house. We started with an order of the cod fritters, then made our way to the paella Valencia style which includes rabbit and chicken. It was very good and authentic, not to mention the bread they serve too, warm and crispy (baguette style), wine selection is good and the sangria was even better (super light, not overly sugary) I would highly recommend this restaurant for a traditional fest and great service. You may need reservations depending on what night you decide to visit. Unfortunately there is no bar you can hang out at so make sure you go when they are slow or make the reservation. Traditional yummy served here.

As soon as the paella hit the table, I flushed with embarrassment because I knew they got me. Total tourist trap. Dry seafood set atop the rice, funky stock, zero soccarat and not even the faintest whiff of saffron. Realized on the way out there wasn't a single local in the joint. You're thinking to yourself, "But there are so many positive reviews!" There are also hordes of tourists who wouldn't know good paella from Rice a Roni. (Not suggesting this is Rice a Roni or anything like that. But it's mediocre paella.) Don't do it. (Cute place, croquetas were solid.)

Excellent dinner at this restaurant, lots of tourist given its location but a tasty and genuine meal. The fried cod was amazing along with mussels au gratin, and finally, a paella. Good service and great value.

I came here because the website madridsecreto.es (Secret Madrid) mentioned it had one of the best paellas in Madrid. Alas, "best" is not equivalent to "great". The clientele is a mix of tourists and locals. The latter tend to arrive after 9:30 pm. The service is old style, with waiters in suits or vests. A paella costs around €20-25 per person and there is a minimum of two persons per order (this is pretty normal). They are made to order and there is a variety to choose from, including fideuas, which are made with fideos (vermicelli). Let me first say that the non-paella items on the menu were great, if a bit expensive. The wine selection is good, even the house wines. Alas the paellas... first they barely use soffrito, let alone saffron. Instead, they seem to use a colorant to give a vaguely yellow tint to the rice. But you never get the oomph of true saffron. In addition, they don't make the paellas with socarrat (where they let the rice crisp up on the bottom). They are generous with the toppings, and they're cooked perfectly, so no quarrel there. But this is just a very good rice with seafood, not what I would call a paella. Of course there are plenty of Catalans who will tell you that, when they make paella at home, they also might omit saffron and they may not crisp up the rice. And that's valid. However, most truly authentic places in Valencia or Barcelona (like the ones who cook on an open fire) will tell you that the socarrat and saffron are what make a paella a paella. Maybe the problem is that I went for paella in Madrid. Oh well.

Paella, paella, paella! This place was on my to-do list from Day 1 but it took until out last day in Madrid to actually make it here (oddly didn't realize it was literally across the Gran Via from our hotel). I had been holding off on ordering paella from anywhere else bc I wanted to experience a version that was amazing, not not just paying lip service to what tourists expect in Madrid. Very glad I adopted this mindset, as La Barraca did not disappoint. Despite being generally known in the travel book circles as the place to go for paella in Madrid, La Barraca has avoided becoming touristified. The restaurant really has a local feel to it in terms of the ambiance and the menu and service style. And the paella? Fantastic. I really have not had paella like this back in the US. We ordered the paella mixta, which was cooked with chicken, pork, and a variety of fish and shellfish. The rice was incredibly flavorful and all the meat was perfectly cooked. I also liked the old school manner in which they serviced the paella. The brought out the whole pan and showed it to you, then divided it up into individual plates rather than leaving the pan on the table. It really added old world charm to the experience.

I'm going to chime in. What waiters did some of you deal with? Because the ones who served me made me feel like i'm the king of spain. Very generous. Very patient (i dont speak spanish). Food was good. Wine was excellent. Atmosphere is classy and subtle. Do you want to make an impression on someone? Go here. Want to drink great wine (not supermarket wine, GREAT wine)? Go here. Very satisfying experience . Get the foie gras and the tempranillo. And cheesecake. Go home happy.

Call me a tourist. Guess what. I am. So when I hear people from other countries talking bad about a restaurant because it's a tourist trap I roll my eyes. Guess what. I have killed cleaned cooked and eaten animals in the middle of nowhere and have eaten at Michelin starred restaurants. Big deal. Outstanding place. We went there on the recommendation of the concierge at the Hard Rock Hotel. The Hard Rock chain is owned by the Seminole tribe, the tribe that never signed a peace treaty with the American government. True Americans. We arrived when it opened. A very classy place. Unlike other places in Madrid it was so quiet. We specifically had the paella Valencia which is made with rabbit. Food excellent. Wine excellent. The meal came with dessert but it was so huge we took it with us. Remember. Your an American. Americans tip!

The food was amazing and delicious. The paella was on point . I would definitely go back and eat again. This was my first time here. The staff was excellent and extremely helpful. It was a pleasure eating here .

I discovered this place thanks to Samantha Brown. We stumbled across it while exploring Madrid and walked in. Unfortunately we didn't have dinner reservations, but as luck would have it, we were early (or late by American Standards) and they had a table open for us. We ordered the paella, and we told them we found saw them on a TV show. I guess they normally plate your food in the back, but we asked if they could do this table side, they accommodated us. Delicious paella that I still think about. By the way, ask for them to cook your paella a tad longer so you can get the crispy rice at the bottom of the pan.

This restaurant was recommended by friend. Perfect place to try the authentic Paella. We had seafood paella, croquettes, sopa castellana. All were delicious! The services were good, the restaurant was very clean. I highly recommend to try this restaurant when you in Madrid.

It's raining Paella here. You choose which one you want whether it be chicken, seafood or mixed. The paella I had was flavorful. You also get some good bread and mayonnaise as butter along with some olives. Servers are friendly and efficient. This is a more formal dining place with white tablecloth settings. The building inside is cute like someone's personal hom

La Barraca is one of my favorite restaurants in Madrid, especially when it comes to Paella dishes, but I haven't been back in over 10 years, so I decided to see if it was still at the top of my list. I ordered the Paella Marinera, which is one of their seafood Paellas. La Barraca is known for their Paella and rice dishes, so make sure you try one of those offerings. They used to specialize in short grain rice Paella, but mine came with a mixture of short and long grain rices. Still very good, but I feel like the short grain only rice was a little better quality overall. The seafood was of good quality and very tasty. Only one prawn was overcooked, but all other seafood was perfectly cooked, and the rice was al dente. They have a "new" rule where you can only order one Paella for a party of two, so the price they show is per person. I'm not sure when this rule came to be, but it may not be new. If you happen to be eating by yourself (as I was this night), you'll have way too much Paella with the minimum order. Basically, you're paying double the price of what you would in the past. Their Paella used to be personal sized for one, so that was a let-down. The Rioja wine was perfectly paired with my meal, and the bread, garlic dip, and black olives were amazing. Even though I feel the food is more expensive at a slightly lower quality than what I've experienced in the past, I still feel the service and quality meet or exceed any Paella you can get in Madrid (minus my Mother-in-law's).

This is a very formal (white table cloth) restaurant that focuses of paella. They offer paella with chicken, rabbit and seafood. You can also order a combination. This is a quiet restaurant so it is good for conversation and a respite from the activity outside. Waiters are friendly. They seem to prefer you come with a reservation and will ask. The paella is good and generally cooked for two.

This was the best paella I had in Spain! My husband and I didn't have a reservation but they were able to accommodate us. The service was really good and their appetizers were delish. We ordered an anchovy toast with tomatoes (sooooooo good, we're going to attempt to make this at home), the callos (Madrid style tripe), seafood paella and a creme brûlée (cause the guys next to us made it look soooo good). This meal was my top three meals in Spain and we where here for like 14 days. We wanted to go back one more time before we left but we were too full and we skipped our dinner (regrets in life...). I will definitely come back. Last thing... the paella price is per person. It's in Spanish so it looks like it says it's per paella but the top says it's per person. It's not the cheapest place but definitely really good. We learned going to regular places that the nicer restaurants just taste better. Lol

We made reservations (yes, fairly ness here in Madrid if you want to ensure seating at popular spots during meal times lunch or dinner). As is customary in Spain, you pay per bottle of water at the table (1 liter given at a time usually into small tumblers), and there is a non optional "bread" fee that ranges 2-3 euro per person thats sorta of like a tax here in Madrid. Tax and water per person is usually already around $5 just FYI, before even considering cost of food. Well known for their Paella, we made reservations. Paella here is made in the traditional way, in the large shallow pans, so a minimum of 2 people per flavor order. If you are just one person dining alone, they will still make you order 2 orders. For a family of 6, we ordered 5 orders (3 orders of seafood and 1 rabbit/chicken) and also had some gazpacho to start the meal. The portions were pretty perfect for 6 medium eaters to finish the 5x order. Decor and ambiance was great. It's a white linen type of place and makes you feel like you're in a classy rustic traditional Spanish home. Service was also good, Paella also good!

Great place for dinner for two or for small groups Nice environment and friendly staff The croquettes were delicious and very fresh Chicken and rabbit paella was also very good, though it was hard to get some of the meat off the bones The sangria was also really good

This really is one of the best restaurants in Madrid. I came here for my first meal in Madrid and I actually regret it because now, nothing compares. It's a slightly casual restaurant, tucked away in the center of Madrid. The service is phenomenal and it was a great experience. We started with the croquettes which were amazing...seriously, these are gourmet. So so delicious. I got a glass of red wine, it was fine but nothing special. Then, we got the seafood paella which was phenomenal and so well prepared. Massive pieces of lobster, crawfish, mussels and more. Additionally, it's expensive but not by American standards. Its a great deal for the quality.

The paella was just okay. I read all the great reviews and thought that this place would be awesome, but it wasn't. There was minimal seafood, and some of the shrimp wasn't even fresh. There was only one waitress and she looked pissed off as hell.

This is definitely a TOURIST TRAP. We made a reservation well in advance for our first dinner in Madrid. We were actually excited to try the paella as we have read so many good reviews about it. We ordered the Marinere of the House Paella and 1/2 liter of the Sangria. The paella had so little seafood in it, not to mention that the seafood didn't even taste fresh! It was just flavourless. The sangria was meh, we probably had better sangria back in Toronto. Everything here is just overpriced for the quality of food that they offer. Towards the end of our dinner, we saw a large group of chinese tourists with their tour guide came out from the private dining area of the restaurant. We could not help to think that this restaurant is geared towards serving big tour groups that do not know/care much about whether the food are up to local standards. Would not recommend to anyone.

We were fortunate enough to make a reservation on the day of Christmas via their e-mail. There were people waiting outside before the restaurant even opened. We were taken to our table right away underground. We ordered the bread with anchovies, calamari, mussels and what we thought was just two paellas (one serving each). We had misunderstood the description about ordering paellas and thought we had to order two kinds but it was actually that one order has to be two servings. We ended up ordering four servings, which was A LOT. We ordered rice from the countryside and mariniere paella. Both were outstanding. Also, we ordered the mussels without reading the description (our fault). We automatically assumed that they would come in a bowl with some soup but it was a plate with mussels covered with sauce and cheese. They were okay, a little disappointing. This definitely a nicer restaurant that you want to have an authentic Spanish meal experience at. Make sure you make a reservation for holidays or weekend.

I came here with my gf because we were visiting Madrid, and heard that they had the best paella in Madrid. We ordered the La Barraca Mixed Paella (squid, mussel, gruper, king prawn, chicken, and pork) for 17 euros. However, when we got the dish, it was kind of underwhelming. The rice and meat was dry, and overall, the dish lacked seasoning and flavor. However, this was just for the mixed paella, and perhaps cooking the meat made everything dry because you have to cook chicken and pork longer. I'm sure their seafood paella (Mariniere of the House Paella for 20 euros or Queen Shellfish Paella for 22 euros) is better, and you should get that instead. Despite that, the restaurant had an amazing garlic butter that goes well with their bread. If you're ever in Barcelona, you can get better paella at Bosque Palermo.

Alright, let me first admit that I heard about La Barraca from Samantha Brown after watching one of her Passport to Europe series on Travel Channel. My mouth gaped open when they proudly brought out that massive pan of Paella Mixto and I suddenly wished I was in her shoes eating spoonfuls of one of the best looking paellas I have ever seen. Fast forward to a few months later, D and I were in Madrid on vacation and we fervently tracked down where La Barraca was located. You see, we were not leaving Madrid until we have eaten there! Lo and behold, after walking a few blocks on the Gran Via, we finally found the mecca of paella. Tadaaahhhh! It was packed when we got there but we were able to make a dinner reservation for 10pm that same night. We walked around for a few hours to build up an appetite and a few minutes before 10, we were starving and ready to eat! The interior of La Barraca feels homey with decorative plates and old photographs lined up along the walls. We ordered the Paella Mixto which had chunks of chicken, squid rings, shrimp, mussels, and green peas which together with the rice, were all infused in a delectable saffron broth. Drizzled with some freshly squeezed lemon plus a dollop of aioli on top and daaaammmnnnn, it was pretty darn good! There was a perfect layer of socarrat - the crust that forms at the bottom of a perfectly cooked paella. We were totally in heaven! We shared a Creme brulee and had some espresso to cap off the best meal we've ever had in Madrid. Until we meet again La Barraca!

Paella is so common in Spain, and everyone makes it differently, but the paella at La Barraca was truly delicious! Word of advice - make reservations! We made reservations for 9, which is actually early for Spain's time, and the restaurant was still half empty. But a lot of tables were reserved, so I suggest calling ahead if you can. We ordered a salad (standard, nothing special) and a mixed paella, which had chicken, pork, prawns, mussels, fish, and squid. The paella takes about 30-45 minutes for them to make the paella, and it comes out in a huge paella pan! They cook it depending on how many people are sharing (min 2 people), and they divide it up for you. It ended up being two plates each for me and my friend (a little too much), but it was delicious! Flavorful and not too dry nor too creamy. The chicken and pork were a little overcooked, but everything else was wonderful. We also shared a pitcher of sangria, and the sangria here was less bubbly and had more wine than other places. Muy delicioso!

Saw this place listed on best paella restaurants in Madrid. Since they were open on a Monday and close to our hotel, I emailed for a reservation and got an immediate response. We were a little late but they seated us right away. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria. It was tasty, not too strong. Since it was a late night dinner we didn't get any starters. But they looked amazing. You could make a meal of a couple of starters. They cautioned us that paella takes 30 minutes. No problem for us. 20 minutes later we had a beautiful paella. At 17 euro each, we felt it was well priced. Service was pleasant and attentive. They didn't speak much English, which lends to the locals vibe. The decor was lovely, it felt fancy but not stuffy. My husband had decaf espresso with hot water to make cafe Americano decaf. He said it was great. Again, the desert menu was extensive (for Madrid) with at least 10 choices. We passed as it was already 10pm. Time for bed. I would go back and recommend to others who can't get to Valencia for paella.

Looking for an good paella experience in Madrid, I turned to the Devour Tours recommendations (https://devourtours.com/blog/top-places-for-paella-in-madrid/?cnt=ES). One of them is La Barraca, which is near our hotel. We headed there today after we checked in. We were greeted by the host who promptly offered us a table. He took care of us at first, taking our drink order. Then our waitress took our food order. We prefer meat to seafood rice dishes so we ordered the mushroom and ham one. We munched on bread as we waited for our meal. Once the paella was ready, our waitress plated it before serving it to us. For dessert we ordered the cake called crime by chocolate cake. It came with a scoop of ice cream, which I enjoyed more than the cake. But my husband loved the cake, as he's more of a chocola-holic than I am. Our only complaint is our waitress- she came across angry and surly the entire time. She smiled once at my husband but only because we were leaving. I'm taking off one star for that. I would definitely recommend La Baracca if you're looking for amazing paella rice dishes!

I had three different paellas during my vacation in Valencia and Madrid and this one was the worst. The meats were dry, the rice was over cooked, the flavor was boring. The service was just ok. My Spanish mother was quite disappointed as she had had wonderful meals here previously. Looks like they need to step up their game.

Fancy! Beautiful interior. Amazing paella and sangria. I can eat it all day long.

You thought I was lying, but I really wasn't. Here's part 2 my friends... So the shrimp is rubbery, the chicken is overcooked, and mind you this is dark meat, how can you overcook dark meat chicken, but yet have the rice perfect? This makes no sense to me. But why in the world is the rice so bland? 2nd plate comes out, no shrimp, no mussels, no big pieces of chicken 3rd plate comes out. Little did I know plate 1 contained all the shrimp, mussels and big pieces of chicken in my paella... There was a lot of squid and maybe 3 small pieces of fish and chicken and some pork. No wonder the rice wasn't that flavorful. These guys are very quick to get the check and get payment, but slow on service. Do you know how long I had to wait for this waiter to serve me my 2nd and 3rd plate? He even walked by me and my empty plate at least 5 times each time before refilling, which brings me back to my earlier point of leave the paella on my table so I can serve myself. I still question why the Manager is the only one taking orders. It was super slow, even though half the place was empty, what happens if you had a full house? You would be quite screwed. I guess flipping tables isn't a concern for them. Anyways would I go back? Probably not. Did the food meet up to my expectations? NO. Is there a redeeming factor? Hm... When you are ready to leave, you can basically leave right away cause they are that quick with the check.