Juana la Loca
Price guide: Mid-range
Puerta de Moros 4, Madrid, 28005
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#9 of 40
expert-rated restaurants in Madrid- Recommended for:
- Couples, Culture vultures, Foodies, Seasoned travellers, Celebrity spotting, Nightlife, Relaxation, Trendiness
Expert review of Juana la Loca
Popular for all the right reasons – fantastic tasty food and friendly staff.
This is one of my favourite places to eat in Madrid, both for the food and the atmosphere. Trouble is, I’m not the only one to think so, and it’s always busy. With white tiled walls and marble tables, it’s stylish without being formal, which fits the Madrid mindset perfectly.
Food and drink:
The thing I like about Juana la Loca is that a lot of work obviously goes into creating the food. Unlike a lot of tapas places I could mention, most of the dishes here are not something you could concoct yourself in 10 minutes when there isn’t much in the fridge. So what do I like? Well, the tortilla here is only vaguely eggy, really just a squidgy slab of caramelised onions. The crab tart with goats’ cheese and piquillo peppers is sublime. The oyster mushroom and truffle croquettes are a good thing to order while you’re deciding what else to have.
There’s good draught beer and wines by the glass if you don’t want a bottle.
Ambience:
Invariably packed with an interesting crowd. Lots of actors and media types. There's a particularly good vibe on Sunday afternoons after the Rastro flea market.
Service:
Friendly and helpful. Waiters continue to smile winningly even when you hum and hah over the menu for far longer than necessary.
Location:
One of Madrid’s medieval city gates used to stand just about here, but now the square absolutely buzzes at night.
Price advice:
Most of the tapas on display at the bar are around 4 euros each, including the tortilla. This is not cheap, but they are good. A lot of dishes are between 7 and 15 euros. We usually spend about 25 euros each here, sharing a few things and a bottle of wine.
Tables to book:
As long as you don't mind a bit of jostling, it's livelier in the main bar area. If you want a bit of peace, ask for a table in the back room.
More information on Juana la Loca:
- Price guide:
- Type:
- Bar, Restaurant, Tapas bar
- Food:
- Spanish
- Address:
- Puerta de Moros 4, Madrid, 28005
- Telephone:
- 91 364 0525
- Serves:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Opening times:
- Mon 8pm-1am, Tue-Sun 1pm-2am
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Reservations:
- Essential at peak times
