Juana La Loca

Juana La Loca is one of the best-known tapas restaurants in Madrid, and its tortilla de patatas has a devoted following. For many years it was a fixture of La Latina, and in 2025 it reopened in a new location on Calle de Recoletos, in the Salamanca district close to the Paseo del Prado and the city's art museums. The new space was designed by Regina del Carril with the Madrid studio In Situ, with a dark stone facade, bronze details, wood and Venetian mosaics.

The tortilla is the dish to order. It is made with caramelised onion, which gives it a sweet, rich flavour, and it is served soft in the middle, in the style many Madrileños prefer. The rest of the menu is a mix of pintxos and traditional Spanish dishes with Peruvian and Japanese touches, such as small plates of sirloin with quail egg and Guernica peppers, black fideuà with squid, and shredded oxtail with confit potatoes. Desserts include a dulce de leche volcano with coconut ice cream.

The restaurant suits couples and small groups who want a lively, contemporary tapas meal in a smart setting, and it is a good choice after a visit to the Prado or the Thyssen. The bar has seats for around 25, and there is a private room for groups of up to 25 people, where a tasting menu can be arranged for larger parties. Vegetarians will find a few options, but the menu leans towards meat and fish.

Juana La Loca serves lunch and dinner, with a break in the late afternoon, and stays open until midnight. Booking is recommended, especially for dinner and on weekends, and reservations can be made online. Prices are moderate for the area, and you can keep costs down by sharing the tortilla and a few pintxos at the bar rather than ordering full plates.

Calle de Recoletos runs between the Paseo de Recoletos and Calle de Serrano, close to Plaza de Colón and the Puerta de Alcalá. Colón and Retiro metro stations are both within around five minutes' walk, and Recoletos Cercanías station is close by. The National Archaeological Museum, the Retiro and the boutiques of the Salamanca district are all nearby.