Los Galayos

Restaurant open since 1894Debes iniciar sesión para ver este contenido You must be logged in to view this content

c/ Botoneras, 5

28012 Madrid

913663028
losgalayos.net

Opening hours:
9:00 to 00:00 (Bar), 12:00 to 00:00 (Restaurant), and 11:30 to 23:30 (Kitchen)
(everyday of the week)

This restaurant, with its enviable location, is not only a family-run establishment that has been operating for almost 130 years (although it was originally called Casa Rojo). You can also choose between tapas (either at the bar or on the terrace) or more substantial dishes from the “à la carte” menu. It has two terraces, one right on the Plaza Mayor and another at the main entrance on Calle Botoneras (directly opposite the well-known calamari sandwich bars “La Campana” and “La Ideal”). There is a very small bar (barely big enough for a couple of high tables for 2-4 people) accessible through the arcades of the Plaza, and a larger one through the main entrance on Calle Botoneras, where you can order from the tapas menu. Inside, on the first floor, there are several dining rooms.

On their website, you can see their two menus and what each offers. The first (“bar menu,” for both bars and the terraces) is for snacks, including pintxos, sandwiches, and larger portions, and is available in both Spanish and English. It’s worth noting that this menu allows you to order half portions of some tapas, which is convenient for solo travelers or those who want to try several dishes. The second (“restaurant menu,” for the dining rooms on the first floor and also the terraces) offers most of the tapas, as well as more substantial dishes for a regular meal, with their specialty being the suckling pig dish.

From what I’ve tried (always from the bar menu), I think the calamari sandwich is very good (€4.90, the standard price for a sandwich in almost all the establishments in Plaza Mayor). They use a bread they call “ciabatta,” which is tastier than most of the bread in their neighboring bars (not that the bread in the others is bad, but this one is better in my opinion). The torreznos (fried pork belly) are also excellent (€6.20 for a half portion), as are the croquettes (€6.40 for a choice of three different croquettes). A double beer costs €3.60, but they have two very good customs that are being lost: they serve it ice cold, and with your drink, they give you a free tapa. I’ve also had “patatas revolconas” a few times, which is a typical dish from Ávila (a province near Madrid) consisting of mashed potatoes with paprika, garnished with torreznos or chorizo. If they don’t serve it as a tapa the day you go, order a half portion to try it.