Casa Labra All Ages / All Types / Backpackers / Budget-friendly / Casual / Chill / Conversational / Crowded / Down-to-earth / Good for Groups / Jeans and T-Shirt / Laid back / Locals / No Fuss / Seafood / Tapas / Tapas Bar / Tavern / Tourists / Upbeat / Wall to Wall

A few meters from Puerta del Sol, we found Casa Labra. Which makes special this look-like-a-tavern local is its history: in this place it was founded at the beginning of last century, the Spanish Socialist Party. Leaving aside the story, the main attraction of Casa Labra is croquettes and sliced ​​freshly fried cod, purchased at the entrance of the premises or taken at the bar, almost always crowded. After the first tavern atmosphere, the restaurant is located in the back.

Casa Labra is famous in Madrid around the locals mostly for its homemade croquetas, although some of the fish tapas are also well known and equally exquisite. If you are not a fish person, there are other tapas you can order, not the specialty but not bad at all. One of the best things in Casa Labra is the decor. I am talking of an old bar that keeps the decoration it has had for years; entering the dining room is like travel in time. You can really feel the ambiance that invaded this bar in the beginning of the 20th Century when writers and politicians gathered here. It is noisy only when is full of people and because there is no music nor TV, you can really enjoy some tapas with friends even when you have to stand in the crowd. There is a standing terraza in front of it, so you can get in the mood for tapas just by approaching the bar.

Founded in 1860, Casa Labra, near Sol, is home to the best fish based tapas in Madrid. It is famous for its croquetas de bacalao (pretty much a puff pastry type thing filled with cod fish and cheese) as well as it's tajada de bacalao (deep fried cod) and atun con tomate ( a piece of tuna with a tomato on top). There are other tapas on the menu such as different cheeses or jamón, but there's no point in ordering them because that's not what Casa Labra specializes in. The line up for these fish tapas is huge. Whether it be lunch or dinner, you will always have to wait in a long line to order your food and then to stand around the bar area or in the centre area attempting to balance your food and drinks! But you also have the option of eating in the dining room area if you'd like to have a more relaxing eating experience. The only difference is that the prices are a few euros more expensive for the same thing...but I guess you can take your pick. The decor is very old and simple being that this bar has a little history: It was where the Spanish Socialist Party was formed on May 2, 1879 as well as a regular hang out spot for Lorca, a famous Spanish poet. The walls are white with some of its edges embroidered in a typical Spanish fashion using colours such as yellow, blue, and green. There's one huge rusty gold chandelier hanging in the middle, but other than that the lighting is pretty standard. The tables and chairs in the dining room area are wooden (this space kind of has a cafeteria vibe to it) and there is a wooden bar area and wooden ledges all around the walls where you can stand by and place your food to eat. Outside there are also metal high top tables for when the weather is better. There is no music or any entertainment of sorts. The vibe of Casa Labra is very dependent on the crowd. People are there to eat tasty bacalao, have a drink, a good conversation with friends, or you could even pop in solo for a quick bite while you stand at the bar or mingle amongst the crowd. The crowd is all ages, locals, tourists, backpackers, as well as laid back and casual. The atmosphere is always very busy and loud. The pricing is very budget friendly! The tajada de bacalao is 1.25 euros and the croqueta de bacalao is 0.80 euro per croquette...who can complain!