http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid Madrid local tips Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:16:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This is one of the best Madrid typical ‘tapas bars’. There are two El Brillante restaurants in Madrid, but the most popular one is near Reina Sofia Museum and Atocha train station. The first thing you must ask is the peerless ‘bocadillo de calamares’, a sort of squid fried roll , the best one in the [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/lavapies-latina/restaurants-lavapies-latina/el-brillante It has everything. This Irish Pub is different from the others you will find in Madrid. Obviously it has – like the others – a pool table and a big plasma screen to watch the matches. But there is much more. After entering the pub you will believe that you have been moved to a cosy [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/castellana/bars-castellana/irish-rover El Macetero is a unusual bar in Moncloa, where you can drink whatever you want. However, the most important thing that makes it different from the rest of bars in Madrid, is, as well indicated its name, the drink is served in flowerpots. Yes, flowerpots! The size of the drinks depends on the flowerpot that we [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/moncloa-arguelles/bars-moncloa-arguelles/el-macetero Whoever says there’s no place in Madrid where they play real Blues music, doesn’t know “La Coquette” This is a charming bar where you can find live Blues concerts many days of the week; however for its dimensions it will seems impossible to you to believe that concerts can take place; but they do! And [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/sol/bars-sol/la-coquette This place has a very special decoration. It’s all about the ocean and it has pictures from sailing ships. “La Sultana” is the name of a ship that the establishment’s owners have. This is a suitable place if you want to spend the night with friends enjoying and chatting with good music and a charming environment. [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/moncloa-arguelles/bars-moncloa-arguelles/la-sultana This restaurant is truly recommended for its authenticity and for being one of the eldest Arab restaurants in Madrid. The place is very modest, not fashionable; you can have dinner at the floor sitting on cushions. The meals are really tasty, the servings are big, and the service is splendid. Furthermore, if we realise that the [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/granvia-princesa/restaurants-granvia-princesa/cocina-del-desierto Savoy is an original and special place: it is divided in two! When you get into it you find the Bar Zone, a spacious room with a large bar in the middle of the lounge. It is very comfortable because of the faint light and the music that is not too loud. There is also a [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/moncloa-arguelles/bars-moncloa-arguelles/savoy-irish-salsa There are two options: 1) Loving their food and making it to be the favourite place to spend dinners with your friends every weekend. 2) Disliking it from the beginning, maybe because of the smell of the restaurant (the first impression you get is like being in China eating in a typical place), maybe because of how [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/granvia-princesa/restaurants-granvia-princesa/rey-de-tallarines La casa encendida (The lighted House) is a peculiar and nice ancient restored house with a beautiful roof terrace, in the city. It is a meeting place for brilliant ideas, brilliant people, where something new and interesting can happen all the time. You can find all kinds of courses: architecture, design, town planning, gardening, languages, creativity… Conferences [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/lavapies-latina/art-culture-lavapies-latina/la-casa-encendida This bar is ideal for young people and for everyone who wants to have a great time with friends. The reason? Because is a little and narrow place that is constructed in a kind of basement, so the roof is not high at all and this increases the feeling of overwhelmed. On the menu you can [...]]]> http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/area/moncloa-arguelles/bars-moncloa-arguelles/el-rey-de-las-tortillas