El Respiro

This is as local as it gets. Free tapas with the purchase of beer. Small and crowded when we went but 100% worth the experience. We ordered tintos de Verano and got patatas bravas, rice, and sausages.

if you are looking for a local place with a distinctly Spanish atmosphere, then this is the one. a very simple and traditional Madrid pub that continues to be unique with its tradition of free tapas. still mostly local visitors, despite its great popularity. The service is very pleasant and simple. all are the same

Fresh and good tapas at a very good price. I always go when I am around downtown. They have a pretty good sider for 6 euros the bottle and they will serve you none stop free tapas. The bartenders are very nice. I am very happy that a bar like this can still be found so close to downtown.

We went to El Tigre and the service and vibe was absolutely terrible. We left and came here instead. Best decision we ever made. Traditional, family run, lively, fun, frequented by locals, very little tourists, very good vibes. You’re not received with a giant smile but you feel welcomed. We ordered 2 cañas (small beers) for 5€, received free tapas and the food was great. The paella was ridiculously good for this unassuming place. Very little english so be prepared to order in spanish at least. With every round of drinks for 2 people you get 2 plates of food and a plate of bread. The food is tasty, and after the first round you can ask for different dishes (they had 5 big trays with different foods). The place was smaller, more intimate and the fun the locals were having was contagious. We ended up staying, meeting a fellow traveler and having such a great time.

Good vibes, great prices, amazing food. Would rate more starts if I could.

Located in the centre of Madrid, this bar offers various types of tapas with drinks. I ordered 2 caña 🍻 for me n my friend and paid 4,6€ for these. Fair price. The beer was fresh through the tapas was moderately fine.
Quick service!

Must visit tapas bar. Good food, good vibes and amazing service. They give insane portions of tapas for a drink order.

A "traditional" tapas place where you receive a small plate with your drink. Obviously a locals-only spot where patrons call out their drink orders from their seats and demand the small plate of their choice. We loved it! The food isn't anything spectacular (microwaved, but apparently homemade), but I'm really not complaining at all–the experience was delightful.

Great food. Service a bit impatient probably because they are used to serving locals. Food is served fast and hot. Very salty but great options.

Best local authentic experience. The guy behind the bar was fantastic. The food was delicious. The beer was good and cold. We will visit here everytime we're in Madrid.

Great complimentary tapas with drinks. Delicious wine and beers! Super affordable and amazing atmosphere 10/10 would recommend.

Cheap drinks and free tapas! Also really good service even when they are very busy

Great service, drinks, food, and a cool space. The free tapas with drinks were great. Would recommend stopping by and supporting a business like this one.

A small local bar. For 4 euros I got a large whiskey (probably a 90ml) and a small plate of sausage and potatoes. It’s not fancy, but it’s warm, satisfying and great value for money.

If you look for a local place to grab a beer and some tapas, then you should def go El Respiro. You might be the only tourist in the restaurant. It’s also cheap, free tapas with beer and everything is so delicious. I’ve had the best tortilla de patatas so far which was soft and yummy.

My favorite tapas place in Madrid, foreigners always talk about El Tigre but the quality isn't there, El Tigre is quantity over quality. This place is a good compromise between the two, a good amount of tapas, with 2 cañas I'm almost full, and each caña is 2€.

Good ambience, great portion of tapas, 2.50 wine glass with tapa. Will come back.

What a great little tapa bar/restaurant! I was heading out for dinner and stopped in for what I thought would be a quick beer. I ended up staying there a couple of hours because the atmosphere was so good. The owners behind the bar were generous and welcoming and had great senses of humor. I ordered a large beer and was surprised when three plates were brought to me as tapas with no additional charge. There was an egg dish, some sausages and some bread. I was chatting with a local at the bar and ordered another jarra (large beer). The bartenders were joking with the local and me and they kept asking if I was still hungry and that they had different tapas. I was full on the first three they had brought so I just chatted, drank beer and enjoyed the place. It was busy but not overly crowded and I didn’t feel out of place going in alone with limited Spanish.

We went when it was slow, but still had a good tapas experience at the bar. With our cana we got 3 plates of tapas. Good value, good atmosphere.

Great place and atmosphere to drink a pint with an included tapa

The food was really tasty and the portions are great for their price. The more retro interior decorations reminded me of back home which I always appreciate. The only downside was the waiting time, even during less busy hours, but I'm glad I was here.