Tasca Celso y Manolo — Restaurant in Madrid

What an incredible way to wrap up a week and a half in Spain! On our last night in Madrid, after indulging in amazing food throughout Madrid and Sevilla, we decided to dine at Celso y Manolo. Despite our attempts to secure a last-minute reservation at a Michelin Star restaurant, we ended up choosing Celso y Manolo based on an AI recommendation and other glowing reviews. And let me tell you, we saved the best for last!

If you're searching for a high-end, fancy-looking place, this isn't it. But if you crave a restaurant with exceptionally attentive service and mouthwatering fresh food, then you absolutely MUST dine here. We were fortunate to snag a seat at the bar without a reservation, but I highly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

I rarely write restaurant reviews, but this one truly deserves it. The service was fantastic! Sitting at the bar (an eating bar, not a drinking bar) allowed us to witness the enthusiastic food preparation up close. The bar was lined with tomatoes that tasted incredible. The owner was present and engaged with us multiple times, even ensuring our wine glasses were always topped off. We noticed how well his staff worked together, and he mentioned that part of their success is due to the staff having a say in who joins their team. So smart!

Their wine list is solid and very reasonably priced. Every dish we tried was fantastic! We sat next to a wonderful woman who ordered the tomato sampler but couldn't finish it, so she generously shared the rest with us. Those tomatoes were truly awesome, and the owner explained their freshness and the specific farm they come from. We then enjoyed tomato steaks with avocado, mango, and more, a spicy mussels dish, deep-fried chorizo, vegetables with fried rice, and finished with organic veal churrasco. We were so full but couldn't stop eating because it was all so delicious! And if that wasn't enough, we indulged in cheesecake and a chocolate mousse for dessert, both of which were wonderful.

Without a doubt, when we return to Madrid, Celso y Manolo will be on our list to revisit, despite the many other great dining options in the city. Fantastic service, fresh and tasty food, and a comfortable atmosphere make this a must-visit for anyone...

Our first (and worst) meal on this trip. Celso y Manolo was highly recommended by our hotel and it was nearby. The ratings on service and atmosphere are impacted by our horrid experience with the overpriced, overrated food and the rude female proprietor. The conger eel croquettes were bland and didn't appear to contain either raisins or pine nuts. We ordered a rice dish with "seven seasonal organic vegetables cooked in an iron casserole." This was probably the best dish we ordered but overall it was bland, forgettable and short on vegetables. I save the worst for last: we ordered CHURRASQUITO: organic veal churrasco with chimichurri sauce, expecting an edible portion of veal seared on a grill. What arrived beneath a handful of (good) fries were flabby slices of fat and bone that were completely inedible. We picked a few fries and attempted to find some meat but quickly realized there was none to be found. After trying to get our server's attention for ten minutes we took the dish to the bar/kitchen and explained the problem to the female proprietor/chef. She explained that her customers like eating flabby slices of fat and bone and refused to replace our dish, refund it or offer some other option. She also explained that since we had "touched" the food she would not do offer us another option other than to pay for it. Worse, she was rude, dismissive and completely disinterested. The good news is that we had amazing food during the rest of our...

I really wanted to love it. But it’s become a lacklustre version of what it was pre- pandemic. I saw one review used the word “jaded” - that’s a good word; Celso and Manolo is past it’s peak. The food is ok, but a bit overpriced, which I wouldn’t mind if the service had been nice. The waiter/manager in charge greeted us with “you have to leave in 90 minutes “. When I said I knew (it was mentioned when I booked and when I was emailed a reminder and frankly I found it rude) he clearly took umbrage and I kept catching him giving me evil looks while we were trying to enjoy what was supposed to be a special meal. There were a few other snarky little things - just not very enjoyable being there. Horrible music and the other 2 wait staff did their best but seemed miserable. Also they got our bill wrong - I didn’t realise til we’d left, but let’s just say a lack of coordination and professionalism meant we were undercharged by quite a bit. I was in the restaurant business for about 10 years and am familiar with the phenomenon of staff who've been working for a long time and strut around as if they own the place and are doing clients a favour just by letting them eat there. It's a shame because Celso and Manolo used...