El Tigre

One of the best experiences in Madrid! These are the real Tapas! By a drink and you will be served a plate of mixed tapas at their choice. Avoid other tapas tourists traps!

If you want a real and authentic local experience, this is the place to go. It is always super crowded and you usually end up eating with your friends while standing at shared tables, since there are no chairs. The tables and floor are not the cleanest and it is quite loud, but this is part of the vibe and it is great for a casual night out with friends. As soon as you walk in you pay 7€ which includes a drink and plenty of food that is very simple, mostly fried and nothing fancy. The staff is quick even during busy times and the location is easy to reach. Good value for the price if you want something informal and down to earth.

Found this bar by accident just walking past, there seemed like a good vibe inside and we weren’t disappointed. Nowhere in the UK can you buy a couple of glasses of drink and be given 2 huge plates of tapas for €9. The food is great, the atmosphere is amazing. Love this place.

14 euros for two large beers and 3 plates of tapas. Food tasted great! Service is cool and nice.

El Tigre Sidra Bar is one of the most famous spots in Madrid for tapas, so I wanted to give it a try. When I arrived, a staff member immediately asked what I wanted to drink — since here, whatever you order comes with food included. I went for a Tinto de Verano. Both the drink and the food were okay, but you don’t get to choose what food they give you, and they don’t really care about preferences. The atmosphere felt a bit pushy. The staff tried to be funny, but it came across more arrogant than welcoming. At one point, they hinted about tips, which felt unnecessary since tipping isn’t really a Spanish custom. The drink price is around 7 euros, so yes, you do get food with it, but I didn’t feel like it was great value. Another downside was that there weren’t many seats available — I ended up standing to eat while a few others had chairs. Overall, it was fine, but nothing special. Personally, I wouldn’t go back and would rather try other places for tapas in the city.