Ministry of Foodies Review
Cuisine: Spanish
Average price per person: 65€
Environment: 9/10
Food: 6.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Other: Vegetarian options, Gluten-free options
Website: https://barmanero.es/
Bar Manero is what you would call a luxurious tapas bar. Caviar, oysters, lobster and truffles are combined with the classic Spanish tortilla de Patatas, bocadillos and other tapas staples.
It has two locations in the centre of Madrid as well as a couple of more around Spain.
I visited with a friend on a weekday for dinner.
Location/Environment
The location we visited is the one next to Puerto de Alcalá,Manero Madrid – Claudio Coello. The heavy decorations, the leather bar stools and wood tones set the scene. You already know that this is not a casual place for a few simple tapas dishes.
The service was professional but it felt a bit forced. The staff was trying to fit into this luxurious environment but overall it was obvious that not everyone had the proper experience to understand at which stage the guests are with dinner. The experience felt a bit rushed with some dishes all arriving at the same time at our small table. Towards the end of the meal it was obvious that one of the staff members was keen to pick up any remaining plates although we were still slowly eating some of those. For a place at this price point I felt the experience was lacking, although the environment was great.
Bar Manero – Menu
The menu includes a lot of the classic Spanish tapas but also has several caviar options, oysters, lobster and salmon rolls as well as king crab and several truffle infused dishes.
Apart from the regular drink options, Bar Manero has a separate section only with Dom Pérignon champagne.
Bar Manero – Food
We started with various croquetas. The one with mushrooms was my favourite as I found it very balanced and with a very good crunchiness on the outside. The ones with oxtail and jamon were also quite tast,y although a bit too “meaty”.
The lobster roll was by far my favourite. The bread was crispy and buttery, there was plenty of lobster filling and lobster bites on top.
The truffled tortilla de patatas was undercooked. Once we cut it we saw that the eggs were completely runny, to the point that the egg flavour was overwhelming and did not allow you to enjoy the truffle or the textures.
The garlic shrimp was overall flat as a dish. It comes topped with a sunny side up egg and chorizo. No particular garlic flavour or any prominent flavour, the whole dish was bland despite the additional ingredients (egg and chorizo) compared to the classic version.
Conclusion
Bar Manero is a spot that relies a lot on its environment and luxurious experience. While it’s an interesting spot to visit if you want to see a fancy twist on Spanish tapas, expect to pay double or even triple compared to what you would pay in most of the other tapas bars in Madrid, with the quality of the dishes not reflecting the price you will pay. For me, places like Hermanos Vinagre, Bar Trafalgar, or Chez Pepito also have a twist to their tapas options and are much better value for money experiences (unless you definitely want caviar and champagne in a tapas bar, in that case, you can stick with Bar Manero).
Visit: June 2025