Cafe Madrid

Mike Orren says:

Food:
4/5
Vibe:
5/5
Service:
5/5
Value:
3/5
Overall:
4/5

Funny-- I think I was at Cafe Madrid for a late night supper same night as MandyR. While I didn't have the Paella, almost everything we had was top-notch as always. (Only off-note was the papas fritas with manchego, a new special that still needs refining.) Otherwise, lived up to my expectations as a long-standing favorite.

Parking in that neighborhood is an issue and always has been. Beer price sounds in line with a white tablecloth joint, but I'd recommend the sangria anyway...

Staff

7 months, 2 weeks ago
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MandyR says:

Food:
1/5
Vibe:
2/5
Service:
2/5
Value:
1/5
Overall:
1/5

Parking is difficult to find. We parked about half mile away. The price is not in line with the amount of food. The skewer of beef had three small size pieces for $5.75. The cost of Bud Light is $4.25. The paella was horrible. All the meats are throw in to the dish at the last minute. The meats had no flavor of spice or of the rice. That is not the paella I know. We found a wing in the dish that looked like an after thought that came from Wing Stop. I would not recommend Cafe Madrid to anyone. This is over priced food with fast food flavor.

Anonymous

7 months, 2 weeks ago
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jjdallas says:

Food:
2/5
Vibe:
3/5
Service:
3/5
Value:
3/5
Overall:
2/5

I like tapas a lot but have found Cafe Madrid to be overrated. The food and service can be hit and miss, but on my last visit was more miss than hit. Maybe they are coasting by on reputation and I get the feeling that they can do better. I haven't been to the other location, so maybe its better. Or maybe its causing the original location to suffer. Anyway, its Spanish tapas, so you know the drill. Best to come with a group so you can order lots of plates.

Anonymous

9 months ago
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micastio says:

Food:
3/5
Vibe:
3/5
Service:
3/5
Value:
3/5
Overall:
3/5

Of the spanish restaurants in Knox-Henderson, I think this is second to Hola in most every category. Service can be hit or miss, the food can be okay, not wonderful. I have an affinity for spanish tortillas and think that they are average here. Biggest plus is patio dining in the evenings/early afternoon.

Anonymous

1 year, 8 months ago
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Lauren Vaughan says:

Food:
5/5
Vibe:
5/5
Service:
5/5
Value:
5/5
Overall:
5/5

What's not to love about this place? An amazing, always changing tapas menu, attentive staff and great people watching - and the ability to brush up on your high school Spanish. Whether it's for a large group or you + date, the waiters never miss a beat and are very friendly, offering suggestions when asked and never butting in when not invited.

Favorite nibbles include the potato omelette in saffron sauce, the beef in red wine sauce and of course, the piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese. The amazing contrast of the sweet peppers and the sharpness of the cheese will have you making noises like Meg Ryan in a New York deli. For those of you that like Oxtail Stew, my friend says it's just like her Mama used to make. I just take her word for that and order a delicious array of cheeses instead.

*Newbie tip - Go on the first Wednesday night of the month. You won't regret it. The place turns into a street party (weather permitting) with flamenco dancers, live music and more.

Verified

1 year, 9 months ago
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Geoff Keah says:

Food:
4/5
Vibe:
4/5
Service:
3/5
Value:
4/5
Overall:
4/5

It’s been awhile since I’ve been here. But one of my chief dislikes with some of the tapas places I’ve been to is that they seem to have a limited selection of tapas choices. Well, insofar as being a somewhat finicky eater at times (I prefer to call it having a refined palate.. hah). Café Madrid had a pretty decent selection of offerings, and at reasonable prices. That’s one of the good things about tapas, you can spend as little or as much as you’d like.

They also have a relatively decent wine selection. Well, from what I remember the prices were reasonable as well. You could definitely have some drinks there and not break the pocketbook.

Atmosphere seemed a little more on the casual side, all things considered for the Travis boardwalk scene. But it seemed to be a pretty cozy place, I wouldn’t mind going back.

Verified

1 year, 9 months ago
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Lisa Lawrence Merritt says:

Food:
4/5
Vibe:
4/5
Service:
3/5
Value:
3/5
Overall:
4/5

Another one of my favorite Travis Street hangs. Love the cheese selection...but really love the thinly sliced eggplant broiled with Manchega. I top it with a shower of pepper at the table. YUM!

Cafe Madrid also serves one of my favorite wines: Torres Sangre de Toro. Gotta love a good, cheap red table wine.

Good food and relaxed atmosphere.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt

Verified

2 years, 8 months ago
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DC says:

Food:
4/5
Vibe:
4/5
Service:
3/5
Value:
3/5
Overall:
3/5

Let the valet do it, or take any of the hundreds of spaces nearby.

Allow yourself to realize that you will spend at least $2 per asparagus spear. Servers remind us that the kitchen will be closing. I take this as a sign to leave since the kitchen staff apparently have someplace better to be. She thinks we stay. We stay.

The cheese plate is where to go. The others are 5-6 bite items with a variety of flavors all reasonable for what you might expect.

Buffy and Skylar trip and fall onto the next table as they erupt from the single holer. So fabulous.