ORIO Fuencarral — Restaurant in Madrid

During my recent visit to Madrid, I had the pleasure of dining at ORIO Fuencarral, a restaurant that offers an authentic Basque culinary experience. The establishment features a vibrant pintxos bar on the ground floor, showcasing a wide array of freshly prepared cold and hot pintxos, each priced at €2.50. The variety and quality of these bite-sized delights were truly impressive, with options ranging from seafood to vegetarian selections.

For those seeking a more formal dining experience, the upper floor provides an à la carte menu featuring traditional Basque dishes. I particularly enjoyed the grilled calamari, which was expertly prepared and served with a subtle combination of olive oil and crunchy garlic—a dish highly recommended for seafood enthusiasts.

The ambiance of ORIO Fuencarral is both lively and welcoming, making it an ideal spot for enjoying a meal with friends or family. The staff were attentive and knowledgeable, offering excellent service throughout our visit. Additionally, the restaurant boasts a well-curated selection of wines, including regional favorites that complement the menu perfectly.

Located in the bustling shopping district of Fuencarral, ORIO serves as a delightful retreat for shoppers and food lovers alike. Whether you're in the mood for a quick pintxo at the bar or a leisurely dinner upstairs, ORIO Fuencarral delivers an exceptional dining experience that captures the essence of...

We stopped for a glass of wine and some oysters as we saw them all fresh on the ice through the window. It's a very charming place, small and intimate with quite a fancy, but not too much, decoration. They have quite a selection of tapas that you can see as you enter the place exposed in front of the bar. Though tempted, we sticked to our oyster choice and wine - we ordered six of them. Before the oysters being opened, we got some starters from the house which were quite good. Finally, we got the oysters and were quite disappointed, not very great as taste, nor texture. They were also not very well opened and still had quite some sediments in them, which also minimized more the whole taste experience. We liked the place itself, but for the quality of served oysters and making it a highlight - it would require more professionalism and picking them and handling them so they would be...

Orio is great for Pintxos! I've been here a few times now and like it a lot. Upstairs is the restaurant part and downstairs is the tapas area. You can also get oysters, if you're into that stuff. I prefer the downstairs bit, because it's more relaxed. This is how it works: you go to the bar, have a look at the pintxos and pick out the ones you fancy. You need to keep the sticks, because at the end of your meal they tally them up and they make up the bill. Each stick has a different value, but I think the pintxos range between 2-3 euros each, depending on the ingredients. The upstairs is a bit more formal. The food is nice, but the portions are small and to be honest the dishes are a bit on the...