Bar La Ideal — Restaurant in Madrid

We came here after seeing all the good reviews and Valencia segreta post, do not be deceived by influencers that show this place. The hygiene in this place is almost non existent, the food is all bad low quality and old. We came around 12pm for lunch and had a bocadillo which was actually rough like stone and tasted like nothing but bad, the patata alioli are actually just already made old potato and give you bags of alioli, the calamari are old and disgusting. We ended up throwing half and feeling bad to our stomach the rest of the day. We didn't eat all day after this. Staff are eating in front of tourist and do not move from behind the bar, you can see this is all old prepared, cheap food and charge same price as fresh food. With 4.50 euro per bocadillo we could have eaten fresh good ones in so many other places and wouldn't have ended with stomachache. Be aware of the...

Authentic Madrid Experience - A Must-Try!

If you’re in Madrid and craving something truly authentic, La Ideal is THE spot! I tried their bocadillo de calamares (calamari sandwich), and it was hands down the best I’ve ever had. The calamari was perfectly fried, tender, and crispy, all packed into freshly baked bread. It’s simple, delicious, and absolutely worth the hype.

The place itself is small and always buzzing with locals and tourists, which only adds to its charm. Friendly staff, fast service, and unbeatable prices make this a must-visit spot when near Plaza Mayor.

Tip: Get there early to avoid the lines, but even if you have to wait, it’s totally worth it. Don’t leave Madrid without...

We found it funny that one of the recommendations we've got were this place.

It looks pretty casual and crowded, their main dish is the calamari sandwich, sounds pretty standard at the beginning, the taste was great, we got really upset when we realized that there were more sauces than we initially thought, there's a red spicy sauce, much better than the plain mayonnaise.

Highly recommended, the food is prepared on the spot and it was pretty cheap and fast (there are cheaper places around).

If you're visiting plaza mayor don't skip this place, we've had good experience, make sure you find a place to seat before purchasing, you'll...