Restaurante Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles

We like to try authentic local foods and restaurants when we travel and this is a classic. As you enter the small, narrow storefront, the large pot of snails is simmering behind the bar. The atmosphere is good, if you can get a table, but we were seated in one of the basement rooms. We were a little disappointed because it wasn't as lively, but the waiter was very attentive and drinks and food were delivered with good pace - we didn't have to wait long. So, the food - of course we had the snails and they were delicious, with crusty bread to soak up the broth. Their Spanish omelette was very good, soft and flavourful with a gooey filling. I thought the calamari was one of the best I have ever had because the batter was not excessive and coated the rings nicely. Zarajos (crispy lamb on a Vine stem skewer) offered a change of texture to the other dishes. How could I forget to mention their vermut, which went very well with the meal! The whole evening was enjoyable.

This tiny place is cute with a big pot of their famous snail stew; unfortunately there’s pork and sausage together and I don’t eat pork I ordered mussels stew and fried squid. They are nice too The staff is friendly even though some of them don’t speak English. I wish they could have ask those English-speaking staff though

I had never eaten snails before I came here and I’m glad this is the place that I decide to try them. Not to say that I’m a huge fan, but the bra that the snails are in is insane! Make sure to get lots of bread to soak it up. The other items were good, but this is what they’re known for

Fantastic caracoles (snail stew), not the greatest service. From Canada! I came here with my friend during the night while we were tapas hopping. You just walk into the restaurant and find a spot to sit/stand until a waiter comes to you. We ordered a caracoles (13 euros) to share and tinto de verano. Bread is automatically provided, but there is a charge for it. The snail stew was absolutely phenomenal. It is loaded with snails that were very tender and easy to take out with a toothpick. The stew was great with the bread and alcohol. The portion is definitely enough for two people. This place is extremely well known for the caracoles and I understand why. The service, however, was pretty bad. It was packed in and outside of the restaurant, which made for a bustling atmosphere. But despite having over a dozen staff, it was impossible to flag them down (they don't speak English either) to ask for anything extra or even the bill. Overall, I'd recommend coming at maybe an off-peak time, and definitely order the caracoles.

This is a must stop if you are in Madrid and enjoy snails. Everything was delicious and the bartender was super friendly and helpful.

Perhaps I was just unlucky in my order or it simply was not my preference.. but I found the fried fish to be disgusting, it was sort of slimy and didn’t stick to the batter. Not much flavour wise either. And not to mention the place was really dirty

Famous for their snails from the parts unknown Madrid episode - had to come pay them a visit. Unfortunately this just isn't my style for snails, an interesting dish for sure. Glad I was able to try a bit - tip, don't wear a white shirt

If you want to try something special, here is the place for caracoles (snails). Worth a try! Visited here on a Monday afternoon. No crowds and enjoying it!

Finally got a chance to try the snails, or caracoles and boy were they yummy! Big in size, yummy in flavor. The sauce is delicious which had us soaking it all up with the bread. We also got - morcilla (the crunch was amazing) - Rabo de toro (good flavors, sauce a bit congealed for my liking but not bad) - chorizo (very good!) - ensalada de tomate (juicy) - bacalao (I REALLY enjoyed the breading) The peppers on each dish along with the complimentary olives really made the meal too! Our waiter was SO nice and so were the other locals, making small talk with us. There's restaurant seating downstairs but casual bar seating upstairs if you're on the go.

Soooooooo apparently this place is also Los Caracoles, which caused a bit of confusion when trying to find the Los Caracoles we saw so much of on the Internet. Maps has this place as Los Caracoles, but there are apparently two locations very close to one another. Either way the service and the food deserve the recognition they get online. Have you ever had snails? If you have had escargot and liked it, the snails here will blow your mind! The staff hypes up the broth, and rightfully so. It is hot, spicy, and snailly. Yes, we made up that word on 03.01.24 when we had it. The snails are huge and meaty, and their texture isn't what you would expect. They were tender and juicy, and you just have to sip the broth out of the shell after gulping one down. This place is proud of their snails, and while they offer other delicious items, the restaurant's namesake is still the best to have.

We came for a late lunch to Casa Amadeo and had the nicest time. The owner is super friendly and comes around to greet everyone. You'll notice his white hair and know that it's the owner. He comes and greets everyone in Spanish. He will ask you to take selfies together and please oblige as he enjoys it. We had the sangria (3,50), caracoles (8,00), torreznos (6,00), racion ibericos (12,00) and bread (0,60). We watched the bartender make the sangria and it was insane the number of ingredients he puts into it. There were at least 10. It was like he was making a potion. The result was DEEP and complex. The caracoles and torreznos were must orders. The snails were very flavourful. It had a medicine kind of flavour in a good way. You will need a lot of tissues to eat this. It also goes really well with bread. The pork was crispy and salty. Perfect pairing to an alcoholic drink. I wanted to order more from their menu as it's so big but we didn't have the space to eat it. The server recommends the stomach dishes as they are very flavourful. We saw a lot of people also getting the snails to go. I would definitely recommend this place as the atmosphere here is so chill and relaxed. The food is delicious and affordable and the service is good. It's right in the tourist area so it's perfect.

Great spot to try out some traditional Spanish tapas and experience the fun ambiance. We made reservations in advanced. We were worried it would be busy but we came on a weekday and it was ok. Not too crazy. They have an upstairs and a downstairs. They sat us downstairs with the reservations. The vibes is very retro and so is the decor. We ordered a few tapas to try and of course some tinto de verano. The snails comes out fast and hot in a slightly spicy broth. The broth has a lot of the chorizo flavoring and it's delicious with bread. They snails are really decent sized and easy to eat. Warning don't wear a white shirt. The splatter from the red sauce caused some causalities. The texture of the snails were softer and mushier than I thought. Because they're stewed in the sauces they aren't firm or snappy like some other styles of snails. We also ordered a plate of Jamon. Fabulous. Good flavoring, good portion and there's the delicious slight gaminess to the pork that I like. We also ordered some pig ears. These were also stewed and served in chunks so the texture is gelatinous and very soft. It didn't have the harder snappier texture. The last dish was the lamb. This took the longest to come out. It was three small pieces that were deep fried. No gaminess either. The best part was the older gentleman who owns the store came out towards the end of the meal and chatted with us. He did a dance and told us to eat the snails with the bread. He was such a pleasure to talk to!

Must order the tinto de Verano to go with whatever you order. I had 3 glasses!! Dangerously good!! Goes great with anything u order. Buuuuut, when in Rome! Or should i say, when in Madrid's Casa Amadeo, one must order their caracoles!! We came here for it from James Blick's recommendation. This is what they're known for! Live a little! My biggest pet peeve is when I see people who travel and pretty much order the same boring thing that they can get from their hometown. Get out of your comfort zone; it's what traveling is about! Like, what's the point of you order the same thing? Hubby and I ordered the Caracoles and cangrejos de rio (crawfish). But either way, whatever food you decide to order, one must get their tinto verano! Great staff and even greater experience!!! ¡Deliciosa, trabajo bien hecho!

As per all pre-vacation plans, recommendations a lá Mark Wiens (aka my fairy godmother of food) led me to try this authentic and absolutely legendary Madrid icon - we came for their iconic dish the caracoles which are snails cooked in a stew concoction of various pig parts (consider yourself lucky if you get some yummy pork bits in your dish), chorizo, and chili. This is a no frills tapas joint loved by tourists and locals alike and the experience is beyond incredible. MAKE THIS A MANDATORY STOP ON YOUR TRIP TO MADRID! Carocoles aside, we savored the croquettas (creamy inside with a perfect crispy crunchy batter), orejas (pig ears with a perfect cartilage-y gelatinous bite), and bacalao (cod fritters). Perfection in every single bite. This is a walk up bar style joint where you give your order, enjoy your food and drinks, and pay at the end. Service was very quick on a Saturday evening at 8:45ish pm and we opted to eat at the bar for an authentic experience - many tables available outside as well. Of course, it's summertime so washing it all down with tinto de veranos is basically mandatory ;) Get yourself over here!!!!!! Amadeo you are a legend thank you for your gift of a restaurant

My wife saw this tapas bar on some vloggers video and wanted to try it.. it did not disappoint. Amadeo is actually there welcoming you - he was a super sweet guy and was accommodating us and young children. The food especially the caracoles were soooo good. We also got a few other things but all i remember was the caracoles and beer :) Worth it.

A classic since 1942... excelente calidad y los mejores callos de Madrid, ni hablar de los caracoles...!!

This tavern is close to the place I was staying was also very well reviewed on tourist websites. The place has been opened since 1942 and it's a tradition in Madrid. Run by Miguel Bueno, Los Caracoles (Casa Amadeo) is the first stop in tasting Madrid's tavern-style delicatessen. Opened 92 years ago by his grandfather Juan and inherited by his father Antonio, they have maintained the original recipe that made ​​them famous. Miguel and Serafin, who for 14 years have worked at the store, are still serving snails to a clientele of locals and tourists.The broth is appropriately titled "raise the dead" and it's been said to help you get over any hangover. Since i's known for its snail dishes, I decided to get some. I got the one with Cod and Peppers sauce....nice size portion. They were really good, delicious, tasty and well cooked. The broth was a bit salty but really hearty. A winner for those who love snails. Great friendly service as well.

This is a TRADITIONAL Spanish tapas restaurant. Their specialty is the caracoles (escargot/snails). The caracoles come out very hot and in a medium spicy broth with chorizo and are absolutely delicious. They also have an assortment of tapas. I quickly made the decision to stand/eat at the bar. I was not disappointed, as I love to people watch and the staff works hard and well together. Service was prompt, friendly, and had many suggestions, making it easy to get an order in. The caracoles marinated in a large pot behind the bar so I very quickly got my food. Because this is traditional, (US, Canada, and Australia be aware) used napkins are thrown on the ground and service moves very quickly, this is the nature of a tapas restaurant. Do not expect to have a leisurely 1.5+ hour sit down to eat.

Restaurante Casa Amadeo los Caracoles is a spot that is renowned for its snails. The place looks a bit like a dive bar in a narrow space and long counter. There are napkins strewn about on the bar and on the floor below it. There are also about a dozen tables outside. The tapas here are served on clay dishes. Caracoles: The snails are scooped out of a large bubbling pot. They are in a tasty broth seasoned with paprika, garlic, and sausage. You use toothpicks to pluck the mollusk from the shell and then slurp up the broth from the shell. It gets messy fast, so use lots of napkins and discard them and the shells in the rectangular receptacles below the counter by your feet and at least try not to miss as so many have before. Rabo de Toro: The oxtails are braised in a flavorful sauce of wine, sherry, and tomatoes. The meat is supple and tender. You simply grab it with your hands. Gambas: The shrimp are fried in a batter as light as tempura and dipped in aioli. Manitas: The pig trotters are stewed until everything is soft, the skin, meat, tendons, and ligaments come apart at the slightest urging. Everything is washed down with a doble or vermouth.

Great service, great beer, ok food. We were very excited to try this place after finding some pictures via IG. Service - wonderful. We came in around 8pm on a week night for some pre dinner tapas and ended up sitting at the bar. The bartender was super friendly and made it a point to find us a menu in english. He asked what I typically like to drink and suggested a beer that I basically guzzled down. He even gave us 2 free beers when he noticed we had finished our drinks without finishing our tapas - so nice! Snails - this is cooked in a gigantic pot by the front of the bar. As orders come up the bartender scoops out large spoonfuls into serving platters. They're cooked with slices of chorizo so you get some of that smoky flavor but overall, this was meh. Sidenote - there were some locals near us who really looked to be enjoying the same dish..so maybe these are just flavors not suited towards foreign tastebuds?... Fried pork - really salty and not as crunchy as expected. Important to note this is not chicharon.

Todo es perfecto, la comida, la cerveza y los empleados. Hasta el dueño era bien amigable y atento con todos los clientes.

This was one of my favorite places in Madrid. It did get off to a rocky start though. First dish up were the snails. While I didn't hate them I also wasn't much of a fan. The flavor isn't as intense as it looks. I had quite a few and they just didn't do it for me..next up was the blood sausage. That was fried in a light batter. It came with a roster green pepper. That was delicious. Had the ox tail, it comes in an almost mole like sauce. Kind of like Caribbean gravy and mole mix. Very good as well then the campesino plate. My favorite, a plate with eggs , perfectly cooked potatoes , red and green whole peppers and fried sausage. Went back to have that plate again but this time also had their "chicharron". It's served with a pepper. Very nice and crispy. Then the oreja. I wish I wasn't as full because that was very good. Very soft , thin slices and boiled in their chorizo broth. Great food and very reasonable prices. The service is great as well the people are really nice

This has been one of my favorite taverns to eat at while living in Madrid. They have by far the best caracoles (snails) I've ever tasted anywhere. The atmosphere is very typical of a small Spanish neighborhood bar and is nestled in the historic barrio La Latina the staff and owner are friendly and make you feel welcomed. Amadeo (the owner) walks around and greets all the guests with a smile. I highly recommend trying the caracoles, they do not disappoint. There are plenty of other great dishes cooked fresh that will delight the tastebuds as well. This place is a must when you are visiting Madrid!

Taken in here by a couple of locals and it was fantastic. The diminutive 84 year old owner still works here barking out orders to his staff. The snail pot at the front is a big silver pot full of mystery meat (lambs testicles), chorizo, a beautiful red sauce and of course the snails. As soon as beer was ordered a tapa of Snails was deposited in front of us with bread to dip, a side of scratchings, morcilla(which was amazing), fresh battered and fried Gambas. It is an unnassuming place to look at but it is a gold mine. I shall return here again and again. I whole heartedly recommend it. One tip though is don't leave any snails or you get shouted at. Oh and cheap as well. About 11E for food and drink

My daughter spilled water into her food and they kindly replaced her meal with a new one. The snails (Caracoles) & chorizo were good and fresh. Honest service and work. Warm and friendly environment

Hole-in-the-wall restaurant with only standing room filled with pig ears and a big pot of delectable snails, chorizo and tripe. There was complimentary bread so you can dip into the mouth-watering broth. Also, Yelp got the closing time wrong since they open much later.

the snail dish is awesome, we came here just for that! their other tapas are pretty good too, we also liked the pig ears, spicy and tasty! the tripe soup is a bit oily but tasty. Calamari is good and the drinks are good too.