Taberna de Almendro 13
Taberna de Almendro 13 sits on a quiet side street off Cava Baja and packs in regulars who come for the huevos rotos and a short list of traditional Madrid plates done well. The room is small, with dark wood, tiled walls, and a standing bar where most of the drinking happens before tables free up. No reservations, no concessions to tourists who don't speak Spanish, no fuss about the menu. The huevos rotos with ham arrive on a plate of thick crispy potatoes, the yolk broken across the top. Croquetas are crisp outside and molten inside. Wines come by the glass from a short Spanish list, and vermouth on tap is the classic pre-meal order. Weekends mean a wait of 30 to 45 minutes, longer on Sundays after El Rastro when the neighborhood fills with flea-market crowds looking for lunch. It remains one of La Latina's most reliable traditional taverns, the kind of place Madrileños defend as their own.
What to Expect
Tight standing room at the bar, locals shouting orders over each other, the smell of frying potatoes and cured ham, and a pace that feels organized only to regulars. Food arrives fast once you're seated. The place feels lived-in rather than designed.
Neighborhood classic with a regulars-first feel. Warm, loud, unpretentious.
No music; the soundtrack is conversation and the clatter of plates
Casual. Jeans and a shirt are standard. La Latina is not a dress-up neighborhood.
Travelers who want traditional Madrid tapas without the tourist markup
Cards accepted for meals, cash preferred for bar drinks
Price Range
Cana 2.80 EUR, vermouth 3 EUR, glass of wine 3-4 EUR, huevos rotos 12 EUR, croquetas 7-9 EUR, tapas 4-8 EUR
Beer ~$3, vermouth ~$3.20, wine ~$3.20-4.30, huevos rotos ~$13
Hours
13:00-16:00 and 20:00-00:30 Tue-Sun, closed Mondays
Insider Tip
Put your name on the list with the bar staff the moment you arrive; the wait gets worse after 21:30. Order the huevos rotos and split it rather than taking a full tapa each. Sunday lunch after El Rastro is the most Madrileño time to visit and also the most crowded.
Full Review
Taberna de Almendro 13 occupies a narrow corner space a block off Cava Baja, the La Latina strip that fills with tapas crawlers every weekend. The front door opens straight onto a cramped bar where standing drinkers cluster with small plates, and a handful of wooden tables behind the bar handle sit-down diners. Azulejo tiles cover the walls to shoulder height, bottles line the back bar, and the kitchen visible through a small window stays busy from opening until last orders.
The house dish is huevos rotos, fried eggs broken over thick-cut potatoes with Iberian ham or chistorra on top. It arrives on a single plate meant for sharing, and most tables order one between two. Croquetas come in several varieties: jamón, cocido, or cod. The tortilla de patatas is competent rather than spectacular. What elevates the kitchen is the cooking of simple things, the potatoes fried properly, the eggs timed so the yolks still run, the cured meats of decent quality.
Compared to other Cava Baja taverns, Almendro 13 trades polish for consistency. Casa Lucio down the street is more famous and more expensive. Juana la Loca on Plaza de la Puerta de Moros leans creative. Almendro 13 stays traditional and cheap. The crowd reflects that: office workers at lunch, families on Sunday, and pre-dinner drinkers filtering through on weekend evenings before moving to louder bars nearby.
The wait on weekends is the main obstacle. Staff write names on a clipboard and call them in order, but the system moves slowly when the kitchen is slammed. Put your name down, walk to a nearby bar for a cana, and return in 30 minutes. Once seated, service is quick and efficient.
The Neighborhood
Almendro 13 sits a block south of Cava Baja, La Latina's main tapas street. The neighborhood centers on Plaza de la Paja and Plaza de San Andrés, both within a five-minute walk. Sunday mornings bring the El Rastro flea market a few streets east, which feeds lunch crowds into every bar in the area.
Getting There
Metro La Latina on Line 5, then a three-minute walk south on Calle de la Cava Baja to Calle del Almendro. From Sol, it's a 12-minute walk through Plaza Mayor. Taxis can stop on Cava Baja, but the streets are narrow and one-way.
Address
Calle del Almendro 13, 28005 Madrid
Where to stay in Madrid
Compare hotels near the nightlife districts. Free cancellation on most properties.
Other Venues in La Latina
Taberna Tempranillo
Tiny wine bar on Cava Baja specializing in Spanish wines with a constantly rotating selection by the glass. Standing room only most evenings. The staff know their wines and will guide you if you ask.
La Musa Latina
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Cafe del Nuncio
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Delic
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El Viajero
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Txirimiri
Basque pintxos bar on Calle del Humilladero bringing San Sebastian-style counter dining to La Latina. The display of pintxos is replenished throughout the evening. Each piece costs EUR 2-4, and the quality rivals dedicated Basque restaurants.