El Respiro — Restaurant in Madrid

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...

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...

This is an AMAZING tapas bar. The way it works is this: you order a drink and pay for it. They serve the drink and give you some food (a tapa). Every drink you order you get something else to eat. The bartender chooses what to give you. It’s free, so you don’t have to eat it, but this is the thing; it’s delicious. The day I went, the first tapa was a plate with a fried egg and some paella. That alone would be a filling meal. The next drink came with patatas bravioli (potatoes with brava sauce and Ali oli sauce). The third drink came with potatoes with sausages. Everything was awesome. The service was friendly and lightning fast. The atmosphere...