Diurno

I recently visited Diurno in Madrid and while the food was excellent, the service unfortunately missed the mark. The dishes arrived promptly, full of flavour, and felt genuinely authentic — truly one of the highlights of the evening. However, the service left much to be desired. From the moment we arrived, there was no host to welcome us and we had to call someone over to be seated. Our waitress, Daniela, gave the impression that helping us was more of a favour than part of her job. She wasn’t attentive, friendly, or proactive, which really took away from the overall dining experience. Other staff members seemed more pleasant but still not engaged — we had to flag them down multiple times throughout the meal. For a restaurant of Diurno’s calibre, I expected a higher standard of service to match the quality of the food. I hope this was just an off day, because with great dishes like these, the dining experience could easily be a 10/10 with more attentive and welcoming service.

I was here for New Year's Eve dinner. It was great to be able to book everything in advance and know what was on the menu. I really enjoyed the food, which was cooked to perfection, and the sophisticated recipes.

We stopped in here for their pre fixe lunch menu. The fuss was fantastic, service great and we loved the vibe. Looks like the options change weekly and it was such an incredible deal. One surprise was getting the tastiest melon we’ve ever had for dessert.

Diurno is located right in the heart of Chueca and has an impeccable atmosphere. Service was great, and the menu is broad and creative. We started with the confit leeks, which were fine but a bit underwhelming. For mains, we had the beef entrecote and the monkfish with prawns. The dishes took quite long to arrive, and while the food was good overall, I expected a bit more flavor. Portions were also on the small side compared to other plates we saw going by. We finished with a mille-feuille with Greek yogurt mousse and red berries, which was delicious. I’d come back to try other dishes, specially because of the atmosphere.

Before booking this restaurant, we checked out some reviews and read many positive stories. After dining here, I can confidently say the restaurant truly deserves all the praise. The staff were incredibly accommodating and friendly, and the restaurant itself has a beautiful ambiance. The food was enjoyable. Our favorites were the Angus grass-fed beef steak and the croquetas. Some of the other dishes were just okay, but nothing was disappointing. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and we would love to come back again.