Casa Alberto — Restaurant in Madrid

One of the more atmospheric of the old tabernas of Madrid, Casa Alberto has been around since 1827 and occupies a building where Cervantes is said to have written one of his books. The secret to its staying power may lie in the vermouth on tap and excellent tapas at the bar. Dining at the establishment on the evening of our visit turned out for us to be another matter entirely.

My family visited this establishment one evening about 9 p.m. at which time it was already extremely busy. There were tables available in the dining area and very crowded with multiple layers of patrons at the bar. We were told there would be a fifteen-minute wait. Almost half of those present appeared to be other tourists like ourselves.

The taberna’s walls are covered with interesting memorabilia from the establishment’s past. The interior is hot, loud and crowded with patrons attempting to push through the gathered throngs at the bar, which takes up the first half of the restaurant’s space. We tried to make ourselves as unobtrusive as possible as waiters rushed past.

After fifteen minutes an older waiter approached and asked if we spoke Spanish. When I responded that I spoke only English and French he actually rolled his eyes at me. He then promptly pawned our party off to the youngest waiter in the establishment.

After being seated we selected an aperitif while perusing the wine list and menu. The young waiter was gracious but obviously torn between serving us and being directed to address various other tasks about the restaurant, including sitting up a nearby table for a party of ten. Nearby, most tables were occupied by other tourists, primarily British.

We placed our order. Older waiters would scurry past our table, yanking the wine menu away, making noises denoting impatience and otherwise making us feel that we were somehow in the way.

Our wine selection arrived as did our food in good time. The food itself was average compared to the offerings of other nearby establishments and the prices high for the quality. We had the impression the restaurant rests on its reputation to justify higher prices and the wait staff's disdainful demeanor to non-Spaniards.

Halfway through the meal we ordered two additional bottled waters that never arrived. During the meal itself it was almost impossible to get the attention of a waiter.

Near the end of the meal I requested he digestive and dessert menu for an after dinner drink. It never arrived either. The nearby table of ten locals were in contrast receiving excellent service. In the end we became tired of the loud noise, heat and being ignored by the wait staff. Twenty-five minutes passed before we could settle our account and thankfully exit.

After the ordeal we had experienced it was a pleasure to breathe the fresh, cooler night air outside and leave the noise of this establishment behind us.

I would not recommend this establishment for dining. During less hectic times it may be a better place to have a drink at the bar before sauntering down the street to one of the many other establishments for a meal, especially if you...

The food was delicious and the atmosphere is lovely. Historical features are well-preserved and authentic touches are everywhere, from the outdoor facade to the restroom. However, our visit was soured by the poor way we were treated by our waiter. I am not talking about a long wait time or inattentiveness, which are completely understandable at a busy dinner hour, but downright hostility which we did nothing to deserve.

We were a party of two with a reservation which we arrived on time for. We were seated and I ordered our food in Spanish. Despite this, the waiter immediately became surly. I asked for a recommendation for a wine (again, in Spanish) and he pointed at my menu and rudely said “the menu is right there!” (reader, I was well aware that the wine menu was “right there,” I am literate). I then ordered two appetizers and began to order the two entrees but didn’t get the chance, as the waiter snatched our menus off the table and walked away. It was such strange behavior that the couple at the table next to us remarked on how hostile it was, and expressed bewilderment at the whole situation. We had to ask for our menus back to order the entrees. I never ended up getting that wine recommendation, but I did order a glass, which I finally received after asking for it (I believe) 3 times. They might as well have just asked me to leave at that point, it may have been better for all of us. But we continued our dinner, enjoyed the food which was fresh and delicious, and left a nice if undeserved tip to try to spread some much-needed positivity.

While I understand it’s easy to get fed up with tourists (I live in a city frequented by tourists myself, believe me, I understand it tries one’s patience sometimes), this behavior was really out of bounds and was an unpleasant stain on what should have been a nice evening. I would recommend the staff at this restaurant treat paying customers a bit more nicely. We all have bad days, but bringing them to work is generally not recommended. Just...

We came here twice for dinner, once on a weekday and once on a weekend, both times between 7:30-8:00p. There was a small line both times but the wait wasn't too long. We had counter seating at the bar once and a small table by the door the other. Both times, the servers were really friendly. We spoke broken Spanish very apologetically, but our servers were patient and even encouraging us to try out our horribly accented Spanish to order and interact with them.

Our drinks and food arrived fairly quickly. We ordered the stuffed pimento (very flavorful), smoked sardines with guacamole (refreshing and tasty), patatas bravas (I think the best we had our whole week in Spain), and carracoles (delicious and saucy). Our servers changed halfway through our meal the first time, as one of them ended his shift, but he made sure to point out his relief and took time to say goodbye on the way out.

The second time we visited, we tried the veal meatballs and the trotters stuffed with tail. The meatballs were tender and juicy, easily cut by just a fork with the most delicate and delicious sauce. The trotters with tail were fall-apart tender and cut like butter, with a deep rich gravy. The mashed potatoes were super buttery and paired really well.

I'd highly recommend this place for good food and...