Botín

This is the oldest restaurant in continuous operation in the world. It is in a beautiful old building, and has very professional, old fashioned waiters. The menu is very meat-​intensive. We started with a pitcher of very good sangria. Followed that with excellent gazpacho. We shared to main courses, the roast suckling pig and the roast baby lamb. We also ordered the sautéed mushrooms with peas on the side.
The pig was delicious, with crackling skin and soft, fatty, delicate and delicious meat. The lamb was ok. It was a little well-​done for my taste and somewhat gamy for baby lamb. The vegetables were overly salty and overcooked.
I am glad to have tried Botín. It is not bad at all, just not great as we expected it to be. Prices are quite reasonable.

The chicken here is fantastic! So tender and moist I was so impressed! The ambiance is super cool too; it feels like you are inside a cave. You absolutely need to book a reservation in advance because they are always booked up. The crowd is pretty touristy being that it is the oldest restaurant in the world but some Madrileños go as well. All in all, I highly recommend this place!

Está muy, muy bien. Se nota la tradición hostelera de los propietarios. Yo comí lo clásico, ensalada de lechuga y tomate y cochinillo. Rico, rico. Solo dos peros:
1)la mesa pequeñita y en una esquina
2)a tope, vete un día de semana y si es posible fuera de temporada turística en la ciudad.

I was a bit worried that this restaurant wouldn’t be great food wise and it was popular purely because of the hype of being officially the world’s oldest restaurant, but I needn’t have worried! As soon as we entered we were whisked away through the lovely restaurant to a great table and served drinks. Our waiters were wonderful, helpful and amusing. The food was gorgeous, I had the meatiest clams I’d ever had and enjoyed every last one! The famous suckling pig was a good sized dish and perfectly cooked. Definitely somewhere I’d recommend, both for the history of the place and the great food.

We had the pleasure dining here tonight.
I would like to first start with the fact that I accidentally made reservations for tomorrow and when we showed up for the reservation tonight I was completely embarrassed when the restaurant manager pointed it out. However, he was so gracious and sat us anyway at the Hemingway table. It was so very kind of him and we are so grateful that we were able to spend out last dinner in Madrid here.
The service was world class and the food was delicious. We of course had the suckling pig and it was nothing less than amazing. We also had the mushrooms with jamón, squid in black ink, a pitcher of sangria, torta botin, and the cheesecake.
The mushrooms were a little on the salty side. The squid was extremely tasty, sangria was delicious and the cheesecake and torta botin were extremely light.
It is important to note that you pay for everything here, including the bread. However, the whole meal was pretty reasonable at € 89 total.

Really enjoyed my dining experience here. Just make sure to make reservations ahead of time! There’s usually people waiting right before opening hours, so I would definitely suggest to schedule a time to feast ahead of time. It’s located near the plaza in a nice area to walk around and find shops. Was seated upstairs immediately with our reservation time. Menus in English were a plus. Lots of deliciousness to choose from, it was definitely hard to narrow down. If I could, I would have eaten here again while we were in Madrid. I really enjoyed the food here, especially in comparison to the other restaurants in the area. We ended up sharing the Salad Botin, Suckling Pig and the Squid Ink in their own ink with rice. I loved the salad, it had a lot of different ingredients so it was really nice to navigate around it. The suckling pig was tender and flavorful, definitely spot on on what I was expecting. The Squid Ink in its’ own ink with rice was good, it was really filling though and of course, on the salty side. Be careful with the ink because it definitely does get stuck in your teeth and stain your lips. I would have to say that I wish I had gone with another dish. I saw someone else order a fish, grilled whole and it looked AMAZING. Next time, I’m definitely going to go for that. Washed all this down with half order pitcher of sangria. The sangria was one of the best that I had in Spain… it was sweeter than what I was getting in other places. The only downfall was that I had a dead fly in my sangria when the waiter served it to me. I let him know but he just dumped out the sangria and that was it, no apology or another glass. Regardless of that, I would still return in the future, just because it’s the oldest restaurant in the world and just because the food is great.

I read many reviews before going to the restaurant. One line it really suits this restaurant I think is «Botin lives with its old reputation».
Yes, it was popular. There was a long line and many people. Food was okay. It was not one of the bests I had in Spain. And it was too pricy for its service and taste.
I wouldn’t go there again. It’s waste of my time and money to go here again while there are so many good foods to eat in Spain.

Seriously overated food. If one could vote fot ambiance only they would get 5-​Stars, unfortunately their food got in the way.

I love the restaurant and its history. I was here last year myself, and I was so enjoy their dishes especially the famous sucking pig. Therefore, i return to have dinner with my husband for this year’s visit. Food as usual is great but the quality of services is declining. Services are fine at the time we place our orders and till we have our main courses.
But, by the time we order desserts, the services become rush and rude, especially the cave manager. The waiter just hands us the desert menu and we don’t even have a minute to open the menu to check out what we would like to have; the cave manager comes by and asks for our order. Then I reply that my husband and I would like to check out the menu first, this black suit man makes funny face to us because we are not ready to give him our orders! The worst part is the time we pay our check. We ask for our check, and the waiter hands it in. While I am still reviewing our bill, not even finish checking out the bill, the cave manager comes in and seizes the bill on my hand and takes the money on my husband’s hand away then left! His sudden behavior makes my mouth wide open and speechless… so rude! Since we are on holidays and do not want to be disturbed our quality time by any mischievous matter, we leave the black suite guy alone!
Over all, food and dishes are still good in this restaurant, and services may or may not as what you expected and would like to be treated!

Botin is known for being The Oldest Restaurant in the World. They proudly display their Guinness Book of World Records certificate in the window.
We booked this restaurant since we were in Madrid so we could have bragging rights to say we were there. Then we promptly forgot to tell anyone*.
The food was slightly above average but the service was exceptional.
We had croquettes, artichoke hearts with Iberian ham, baby squids in their own ink, and lots of suckling pig with roasted potatoes.
Dessert: vanilla ice cream, lemon sorbet and fresh strawberries and cream.
The croquettes were crispy and cheesy. The suckling pig had a crackling beautiful skin (but I’ve had crispier from Chinatown). The artichoke hearts were tender and I loved the salted sparingly sprinkled Iberico ham. The most exceptional dish was the shiny white baby squids cooked in black ink with black ink rice. The fresh saline garlic taste of the tender squid in the al dente rice was amazing (so much so that I remember it 2 years later).
The strawberries and cream was great too. The strawberries were naturally sweet and the cream was thick. The strawberries tasted great dipped in the vanilla ice cream. My friend liked the dessert more than most of our meal.
Our waiter treated us like Kings. He laughed and joked with us. He wrapped our menus in twine as a souvenirs. He tolerated my horrible Spanish. He taught our table Spanish as he served us our wine. I had a great time!
Would I recommend you go? Probably if you care about famous places and if you have the fear of missing out.
Just know ahead that the food is pricy for simple Madrid food such as calamari, pig and veal dishes.
*Making this review 2 years overdue.

THIS WAS THE 1^st RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD! OPENED IN 1725!
Pretty much if you want an authentic culinary dining experience come here… I mean they are the original restaurant. It’s not a cheap steakhouse but when else would you get to experience the world’s 1^st restaurant?!

Solo tengo dos palabras para describir mi visita a Botín: Im-​presionante.
Se trata del restaurante más antiguo del mundo, y no de boquilla, sino certificado por el libro Guinness de los Records, con diploma en su escaparate incluido.
Aunque no es un sitio barato, sin duda se puede salir con el estómago más que lleno sin dejarse una millonada, ya que sus raciones son bastante grandes. En concreto, pedimos entrantes, platos principales, postres y varias botellas de vino (que eso siempre sube la cuenta), y rondaron los 50 € por persona.
El plato fuerte de su carta son sus carnes. Cochinillo y cordero hechos en un horno centenario de leña que le da ese sabor único.
Pero lo que ya terminó de redondear la comida fue el postre que me pedí. Bartolillos de crema, unos dulces fritos rellenos de crema típicos de Madrid. No os miento si estuve a punto de llorar con cada bocado.
Eso sí, imprescindible reserva, y más si es para 2 personas.

Another place in Madrid that I can’t rave enough about! Major food critics have analyzed it’s quality, but very few highlight how kind this place is. They really treat you with white glove service and try to make your experience as special as possible even if that’s changing their tried and true recipes and dishes.
Definitely lives up to the hype!

Hoy vamos a comer en el restaurante más antiguo del mundo, me dijeron. No daba crédito al saber que se encontraba en Madrid, a pocos metros de la Plaza Mayor. Así lo acredita el certificado del Libro Guinness de los Récords expuesto en el escaparate.
Como podrás imaginar, la carta no alberga precios populares, aunque tampoco desmedidos para la calidad de lo que se oferta. Son imprescindibles los platos cocinados en el centenario horno de carbón y leña (que se vislumbra desde la entrada): cochinillo, cordero y solomillo de ternera.
Son platos muy de la abuela, por lo fresco de los ingredientes y la elaboración artesanal. Se nota especialmente en los entrantes: sopa de ajo, pimiento morrón, morcilla de Burgos…
También disfrutamos de los postres, especialmente los bartolillos (típico postre madrileño frito y relleno de crema), la tarta Botín y la copa de queso con helado y mango.
Hay varias plantas, la inferior abovedada y con mayor encanto.

For Asian, I believe one meal of roasted pig is a bit too much. We are a group of 3 (one man and two women) and we ordered 2 sets along with ham/​melon plus soup. 3 of us visited Botin twice in 3 days since it is that good!

AMAZING! The food was great and the hospitality each person demonstrated was out of this world. The pork was very tasty, this history is amazing. Open for centuries and still doing great things. Worth starving yourself for the day to enjoy all of the food

The «Oldest Restaurant» always lives up to the hype. I’ve been twice and both experiences were great. Be sure to check out the old wine cellar!

After living in Madrid for four months this place was definitely one of those things that got brought up quite frequently in conversation and travel blogs and websites. Since it is, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s oldest continuous restaurant I decided that a visit to this place during my last few days in the city was only necessary. The reservation was relatively easy to get since it was for lunch during the weekday. In anticipation for my visit I had done a lot of research on what their popular dishes were and what was recommended by others so coming into the meal I was well prepared.
We ordered the calamari rings and the garlic soup for appetizers and decided to split the suckling pig as the main course. I have to admit that the calamari rings were probably one of the best that I had during my time in Spain, and that’s saying a lot considering how popular calamari is to the Spanish. They were very crispy and of good sized portion, however they could have used a little more seasoning. The price of this appetizer was also rather absurd at 21 euros for the plate (this is considering that you can get 3-​course meals in Madrid for 12 euros on average). The garlic soup was easily our least favorite dish, but we couldn’t quite determine why we didn’t like it. The texture of the soup was very gelatinous and unappealing. We were very excited for the suckling pig since it was what they were famous for and one of those must-​have dishes of the country. While the portion of the suckling pig itself was decent the dish overall was very lacking. It came with a half portion of the baby pig and two measly sized and un-​seasoned potatoes that were almost inedible.
Considering this place is known to be the oldest operating restaurant, widely recommended by travel sites, and a popular destination for tourists I was overall disappointed in this place. For the price you pay for some of their dishes you would expect for it to be better as well. I give this place two stars for the ambience and the prompt, attentive service.

After living in Madrid for four months this place is definitely one of those things that got up quite frequently in conversation and travel blogs and websites. Since it is, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s oldest continuous restaurant I decided that a visit to this place during my last few days in the city was only necessary. The reservation was relatively easy to get since it was for lunch during the weekday. In anticipation for my visit I had done a lot of research on what their popular dishes were and what was recommended by others so coming into the meal I was well prepared.
We ordered the calamari rings and the garlic soup for appetizers and decided to split the suckling pig as the main course. I have to admit that the calamari rings were probably one of the best that I had during my time in Spain, and that’s saying a lot considering how popular calamari is to the Spanish. They were very crispy and of good sized portion, however they could have used a little more seasoning. The price of this appetizer was also rather absurd at 21 euros for the plate (this is considering that you can get 3-​course meals in Madrid for 12 euros on average). The garlic soup was easily our least favorite dish, but we couldn’t quite determine why we didn’t like it. The texture of the soup was very gelatinous and unappealing. We were very excited for the suckling pig since it was what they were famous for and one of those must-​have dishes of the country. While the portion of the suckling pig itself was decent the dish overall was very lacking. It came with a half portion of the baby pig and two measly sized and un-​seasoned potatoes that were almost inedible.
Considering this place is known to be the oldest operating restaurant, widely recommended by travel sites, and a popular destination for tourists I was overall disappointed in this place. For the price you pay for some of their dishes you would expect for it to be better as well. I give this place two stars for the ambience and the prompt, attentive service.

I went over with a couple of friends. The food was good, didn’t find it SPECTACULAR, the prices were reasonable, the atmosphere was fun. I think its more of the experience of dinning at THE OLDEST RESTAURANT in the world.

You don’t come to this place to eat only but to be part of history. It’s a wonderful experience, kind of pricy, which is good to maintain a certain ambiance. The staff was great… Loved it!

A clear tourist experience and a bit pricey but overall worth the trip. The baby lamb, in my opinion, was better than their famous suckling pig — was extremely tasty. Suckling pig lacked a bit of flavor but wasn’t bad, and both came in very generous portions. Waitstaff didn’t rush us as indicated in other reviews. If you don’t like salty food, this place probably isn’t for you, but you might as well as come just to say you’ve been here.

Oldest restaurant in the world — provides a neat experience. Traditional spanish food is good but dishes are appreciably better than anyone else that serve’s bull tail stew. My meal was good but didn’t have a wow factor for the added price.

Restaurante emblemático en Madrid, con fama, no sé si justificada o no de ser el más antiguo del mundo, ya que conozco otros dos o tres que dicen lo mismo. El sitio en sí está bien, todo muy apretado como es costumbre en Madrid, y el mejor sitio para comer, la espectacular bodega.

Would have given it more stars. Food was good, $$$$/​4 price wise, service was ok prompt courteous but felt very impersonal and rushed. We were done within an hour. Yes they were like clockwork and robots but professionally dressed in white. Maybe cuz we were obviously tourists or maybe language Barrier. Would have gotten higher rating were it not for the service. Not friendly at all.
Had the calamari– one of the best we’ve had in Spain however at $ 21/​plate it better be. Had the suckling pig of course– good, crispy –their signature dish. But we had the rear end half of the pig with tail and all –not what I expected. Yuck. Other table had the entire pig with head and all but that was a party of six. I know I’ve had better having eaten roasted pig often. In the end the suckling pig was good. Had the steak-​good cooked perfectly. Had half chicken –good. Sangria-​good. Marscapone dessert with mango-​good. Apple tart-​good typical with a little custard on the bottom. Madrid style special –puff pastry with custard filling sprinkled with powdered sugar-​yummy good. Watch out-you’re paying for the bread rolls which we didn’t order and didn’t know we had to pay for. Had we known we would have eaten all of the bread.
Oldest continuously running restaurant since 1725. Even In world Guinness record. We came for that and to show the kids and for our nostalgia many many many years ago although at the time we didn’t know of its exalted standing and it wasn’t as busy as this. So it was sort of our anniversary. Menu has changed drastically. It use to have more items and of course was less expensive back then. We all knew about the fact back then that restaurant is famous cuz it’s one of Hemingways fav and he mentioned it in a couple of his books.
We didn’t see the other parts of the restaurant which we really wanted to.
WOULD RECOMMEND for the historical just to say you’ve been there. Somewhat for the food and somewhat for the service. Don’t know if I’d necessarily go back as it truly has gotten busy, impersonal and capitalizes on its fame –plates jugs being sold Nickel and dime u on bread??? Really.

My family and I came here for our Christmas dinner. We made reservations months ago back home and thankfully we did because this place was packed. Many people were hoping to get a table and were unfortunately turned away because it was completely booked.
Service was good. 4 – 5 stars
Good was good. 4 stars
We had:
Horderves’
Smoked salmon and croquettes. The salmon was nicely presented with capers, minced nuts,
Onion and cheese. It was delicious.
The croquettes were perfectly baked, not too much batter. They have bits of ham and chicken and were yummy.
My husband and daughter shared the filet and potatoes and it was coined perfectly and enjoyed it very much.
I had the baked shake and that was really good with plenty of flavor. Just beware of the bones. I had several large pieces; which is okay if you’re forewarned. It came with 2 small steamed yellow potatoes which accented the fish really well.
For desert we had the cream puffs; not too sweet but not the best we ever had.
Overall greet experience! The restaurant itself is overwhelmed with history. We loved it!

Un imprescindible de la Capital: ya sea tu primera vez en ella o seas un habitual tienes que probarlo al menos una vez.
Se trata de uno de los restaurantes más antiguos de la ciudad y sigue conservando el ambiente que lo hizo tan popular.
Pero basta de introducción y vamos a lo importante… La comida! Se trata de un restaurante típico castellano, con sopa de cebolla, sopa a la castellana, todo tipo de carnes y estofados… Todo de una calidad excelente, con un acabado que os harán entrar ganas de repetir.
Y qué decir del sitio; ¡Es como volver al Madrid de principios de siglo!
Si solo vais a estar un día en la Capital este el restaurante que estáis buscando. No es el más barato obviamente… Pero una vez al año no hace daño :)

World’s oldest restaurant, history, but not foods!!!
We reserved our table 30 days in advance and arrived at Botin early to check out the neighborhood, beautiful areas, this restaurant is very popular and attracted lot of tourists. If ones come here to view the oldest restaurant, feel how people dine hundred years ago, and this is «the place.» Food was so terrible bad, they did not able to provide fresh ingredients, sucking pig was no taste & gamy, the vegetables are from cans or must be cooked few days before serving, really sad for its name, Botin. The service was awful, the server was rushing us out, so they can have the table for next parties. We came, we learned & experience, please think before you come to Botin and define your purposes, foods or history. To us, when talking about Madrid’s food, we think of Botin, but after this trip, we knew it’s a historical place.

Food (4.5 Stars) — Suckling pig, suckling lamb, sangria, and Botín salad were all excellent. I did not give it a 5 stars, since I think I’ve had better but it is still very delicious :)
Service (5 Stars) — the owner/​manager (I’m assuming) was really friendly and welcoming. We came in 10mins earlier than their open hours. They allowed us to come in and have a tour around the restaurant! After we were seated, I had no problem ordering or getting what I wanted. When I was leaving, I was also greeted nicely throughout. While I was walking out of the street, my waiter ran towards me to catch me what I had left under the table – my gift for family from Spain. Muchas gracias :)
Ambiance (5 Stars) — Most importantly, it is the oldest operating restaurant in the WORLD. How cool is that?! It was open since 1725 and the interior of the restaurant was taken care of to retain its originality without costing cleanliness or safety. Clean and professional setting with hint of history inside the restaurant. Lovely! It has 3 floors and underground dining area.
Historical value is just so much with this restaurant. If you do not want to be too adventurous with their list of food, just go along with suckling pig/​lamb. Hard to go wrong with that as a meat lover.

I never imagined the oldest restaurant in the world to still be one of the best!!! From the moment you walk into the establishment you feel like you are visiting family. They have a very nice varietal of red wines to pair with your meal. To start, you are served one of the best gazpacho’s I ever had. For your second dish I would recommend the sardines on a bed of red peppers draped with olive oil… delish!!! Finally you can close with the suckling pig and potatoes. It is roasted at a perfect temperature with the skin crispy and the meat very tender (which is tricky when roasting a pig). If you still have room for dessert the crema Catalan is a must with a burnt caramel crust… I am definitely coming back here on my next visit to Madrid. Salud!!!

If you’re going to this restaurant for the first time, read this review. I’m going to give a rating for each of the following: food, service, and ambiance — my final rating is an average of the three.
The food is without a doubt, 1 star. I’ll start with the white asparagus with mayonnaise, which was about 5 pieces of asparagus that was served cold straight from the can — I’m not going to say it just taste like it was from a can, because there is no way it was prepared to taste that way. it was 100% taken out of a can and put on a plate. As for the mayonnaise, it was literally a bowl of mayonnaise, that’s it. So for about 14euro, you’re getting canned asparagus and a bowl of mayonnaise. No exaggeration. Next, the famous suckling pig — I had read quite a few bad reviews about the suckling pig so I didn’t go in with high expectations, but you really can’t go there without having their most famous dish. I took one small bite and that was enough for me to put it aside. I actually almost spit it out — it was far too gamey for me. If you enjoy pork that is very gamey, you’ll probably enjoy the pig. As for the potatoes on the side, I couldn’t have more than one bite because the juice of the pig was soaked in it, which gave it a gamey flavor as well. My plate was pretty much untouched, and I put it to the side and decided oh well, it was worth a try, until the waiter came and randomly asked me if I wanted to try the lamb instead. I was completely turned off by the food at that moment but wasn’t about to ask for my money back so I said sure, why not. I love lamb, I prefer it over beef so I figured it would be much better — I was wrong. It was very gamey as well, and had far too much salt. I don’t know why, but I felt bad so I destroyed it with my knife and fork to make it look like I ate what I could. So if you enjoy meat that is very gamey and salty, then you’ll probably enjoy this restaurant.
Service was 5 stars in my opinion. The reservation was booked through the hotel for 8:30, but once we got there, the host said there was no reservation. After a very small argument, he asked us to wait for about 10 minutes or so, until he could figure things out. They sat us in the kitchen and gave us cheese, and fresh slices of cured pig with crackers. A few minutes later we were sat and everything was fine. Our server was very polite and attentive. Offering to replace the pig with the lamb without having to complain was something I’ve never experienced in Spain before. (and not only have I traveled here many times, I lived in this country for 6 months years ago). In my opinion for European standards the service was amazing.
Ambiance is also 5 stars for what it is. You’re eating at the oldest restaurant in the world and it feels like it too. It’s an experience. It’s not fancy, it’s not trendy, it’s the oldest restaurant in the world. It’s 5 stars for what it is.
I think 3 stars is a fair average for the 3 categories. If you’re going for the food, and you enjoy gamey salty lamb and pig, then you’ll love it — if not, stay away. If you’re going just to say you went, then it’s worth it. That’s the only reason I went.

Definitely an overrated spot to eat. With all of the other nearby options, I would not eat here again.
The atmosphere is cool, being all Hemingway –esque, but the food is definitely second rate, especially for the price. The croquettes were tasty, but it’s hard to find badly made croquettes. The vegetables were fine. The suckling pig lacked flavor, especially for 24 €. If you want atmosphere, this is your place, but hit any of the tapas bars on the area and you will find better for cheaper.

Fantastic!
Great service and amazing food!
This is the one place that understands that they’re a tourist attraction and they love it!
The host offered to take a picture of us, the waiter was friendly and brought out the weird order I asked for :))) (the head of the pig) :)
It was a unique experience and definitely worth the money!
Highly recommend it!
Oh! and DEFINITELY try the baby lamb!
The sangria was too sweet so that’s a pass… but the house wine was great!

I think a four star rating is fair for El Botin, primarily for the unique atmosphere, amusing service and history. My party of three had an 8:00pm reservation in the basement, we were promptly seated and drink order taken.
Now for the food and I’ll start with what was good. The cheesecake was fluffy and delicious. Chocolate cake was primarily chocolate mousse cake and was rich. Strawberries and cream was served cold. So, the deserts were very good. We ordered lamb, chicken and steak with mushroom sauce. Two of us ordered garlic soup, and an order of mixed vegetables to share. One of the soups made it to our table. We believe the other order was lost in translation. However, the garlic soup that was served was delicious. The lamb was moist and very tender. The steak was cooked to order and tasty. Now for what didn’t go so well was the chicken which was quite dry, primarily the breast meat. The dark meat (leg/​thigh) was ok. Mixed veggies consisted of mushrooms, artichokes, green beans and carrots. Unfortunately, it was served barely warm and flavorless. One other key item was bread service. We received three small rustic loaves of bread, but no butter or olive oil. Needless to say, ½ of the bread went untouched, yet we were charged for all three loaves.
The 300 year old restaurant was charming and fun place. Wait staff was polished and quick. Overall, this place seems to be a tourist destination and good for nothing more than a one time visit by most.

I realize a Unilocaler at Botin is completely cliché, I essentially traveled 5,786 miles to the oldest, continuously operated, restaurant in the world. They must be doing something right. Indeed they were.
The bottle of Luis Cañas Amaren Tempranillo Reserva cost almost as much as the meal but was definitely worth this special destination. Our beverage of choice had to be on par with the succulent Bacalao en Tomatoe and, of course, the signature dish, Cochinillo Asado (suckling pig). Dessert, a complicatedly sweet Tarta de Chocolate, didn’t disappoint either. I expected this place to be over hyped but they have indeed earned their four stars.

If you are amazed by its title of oldest running restaurant, take a photo and do not try the food. I was embraced by bring my wife here during our trip. This place does not represent the nice food industry and these wonderful chiefs/​staffs of Spain. I do believe that located in a hot tourist spot brings shame to this country and its peers. More importantly, it is our duty on Unilocal to mark these tourist trap and warn others.
1. Service: there was no communication from the waiter. He was very unfriendly and not professional, without coming by asking for our need during the entir evening. He did not say a word after our order until the end of our dinner, actually the food was so bad that we could not finish our dishes. For some reason, he was so angry of us, he refused to service us at the end and let another waiter took our check. In the end, not a even a «Good Bye».
1. Food: Disgusting! The sucklying pork is lack of flavor and no seasoning (taste like leftover). I am almost certain the roasted lamb was not cooked that day; the meat became dehydrated like solid jerky and the inside tasted like leftover too. The sorted vegatable with ham was terrible too, without a single piece of fresh vega. The sangria is OK but too much bitterness. We have to stop and checkout before we moved to another place for dinner. The waiter was shocked when he saw the barely touched dish when we asked for check. He did not dare to ask why.
3. It is nice to have a cellar seat. The room further down is the wine cellar, full of mold. How did they pass food safety?
4. The only thing l like is the history of this restaurant. But I believe the chief has not improved his skill since 300 years ago.

Careful. We were served water and bread and then charged for them. There were 13 of us. We were charged € 20 for bread and € 6 for mineral water which we never ordered. Even though the food was good I find it dishonest to serve things that were not ordered and then charge for them.
Cuidado. Nos sirvieron agua y pan y luego nos cobraron por ellos. Éramos 13 personas y pagamos € 20 por pan y € 6 por agua con gas que nunca pedimos. Aunque la comida fue rica lo veo muy deshonesto servir al cliente cosas que nunca pidió y luego cobrar por ellas.

Una visita obligada en Madrid. Si es que se tiene la posibilidad de hacerlo al menos una vez, vale la pena la experiencia comer en el restaurante mas antiguo del mundo
.
El lugar es claramente un imán para turistas, comida buena pero no llega a descollar y un servicio correcto se combina con precios elevados para el estándar de la ciudad.
Quien visita (El Sobrino de) Botin sabe lo que viene a buscar y el lugar no defrauda.

Ambience is good. I came here to compare their cuchinillo with the notable place in Segovia, Spain. The skin of the cuchinillo here is blistered and tastes more like it was cooked in the oven like I would. For some reason, I was disappointed with all the hype and expectation. I think the meat at the other place was also more juicy.
Saving glory was the service, ambience and location.
I also ordered the variety vegetable with ham. It was too salty and over cooked. I ate it for nutrition to get my vegetable craving satisfied.
The Almehas or clams was very good which was ordered by our friend.
The white asparagus was ok. It tasted like it was canned but I don’t think so — served with good mayonnaise. But that is nothing to be awed by.
Sometimes, one just have to try hyped-​up touristy places. But I found others on my own that are better. I wish I had more time to test other places for cuchinillo.
But if this is the only place where you have ever had roast suckling pig, you probably will rave about it. I just have had better.

Mi novio trabaja de recepcionista y le regalaron un menú para dos personas. Le pongo las cuatro estrellas y no tres porque la atención fue excelente y nos enseñaron el horno y la bodega del lugar. Los camareros son también muy atentos, de esos que te llenan la copa de vino o agua en cuánto bebes un sorbo, lo que a mí me resulta un poco agobiante. La comida es muy normalita, no está mal pero tampoco vale su precio. Además del menú, consistente en sopa de ajo (castellana), cochinillo y helado, nos regalaron un plato de jamón, imagino que para congratularse con mi pareja y que le derive los clientes. Todo estaba correcto y dejando entre plato y plato el tiempo correcto pero no sobresalía. El cochinillo me decepcionó un poco y el helado de vainilla estaba rico. Es un sitio al que ir porque conserva la magia de ser el restaurante en activo más antiguo del mundo pero no por la comida que es fácil encontrar mejor y a mejor precio. Al salir y ver que cada menú valía 44,50 € me alegré mucho de ir invitado y entendí porque está lleno de turistas y no de madrileños. Ubicación excelente, trato de restaurante de lujo, precios algo elevados y comida correcta en un antiquísimo horno de leña.

This is a beautiful restaurant and is in the Guiness Book of Records as the oldest restaurant. Having opened in 1725, I’m not surprised!
The food was wonderful. We started with the Melon and Ham and the Black Sausage from Burgos. While I am not a fan of black sausage, my partner very much enjoyed it. The melon and ham were fabulous! For entrees we had the Roast Suckling Pig and Grilled Filet Mignon Botín. These are both specialties of the restaurant and with good reason! The filet was incredible, smothered in mushrooms that were very well prepared, although it didn’t need them. The pig was very good as well, a little on the dry side but very flavorful.
It can be a bit pricey and is a definite tourist attraction. We felt like we were being rushed through our meal so they could get more people in. Having been once we probably won’t go again.

En una fiesta me gané una comida en Botín y allá fuimos con mi chico. Lo primero que me gustó fue el trato de los mozos. En todo momento nos sirvieron con una sonrisa y nos trataron como clientes de toda la vida.
Luego vino el entrante, pedimos ensaladas y cada una era tan abundante que bien podría haber sido para 2 personas. Todos los ingredientes fresquísimos y de calidad. El plato principal, cochinillo para mí, estaba estupendo. El cordero que pidió mi chico también, pero no tanto como el cochinillo. Pero después de todo, es en lo que se especializan.
Con el postre salió ganando mi chico con la tarta templada de manzana. ¡Una delicia! Yo pedí una tarta Botín, de bizcocho y merengue y también estaba muy bien, pero mejor la de manzana.
Ha sido una experiencia muy agradable y nos encantaría volver cuando tengamos que festejar alguna ocasión especial. Nos sentimos como en casa.

Tuve la oportunidad de comer aquí en una celebración familiar, concretamente la boda de mi padre.
El menú fue maravilloso: desde cochinillo a cordero, jamoncito del rico y muchas delicatessen más.
Otro punto a favor fue la atención: no sé si es que mi padre les cayó en gracia xD pero desde luego nos mimaron muchísimo :D
La verdad que nos fuimos todos alucinados, contentísimos y con una panzá a comer de las épicas…
Evidentemente no es un sitio para ir a comer a diario, pues como sabréis el precio es bastante alto y teniendo en cuenta nuestra economía, no nos vamos a volver a ver en una así en bastante tiempo xD pero para una ocasión especial, de esas que todos tenemos en algún momento de nuestra vida, no se me ocurre un lugar mejor.

My husband found this restaurant and decided to come for dinner during our 1 night in Madrid. We didn’t have reservations, but actually did a «walk-​in» at exactly 8pm (when the restaurant opened for business on Sunday evening). Luckily, they seated us within 10 – 15 minutes of waiting in the lobby area. WOW, lucky for us!
We were escorted into a side room connected to the kitchen (there were at least 4 – 5 tables in there), and got seated. We were in awe that we got to eat at the OLDEST RESTAURANT ever (opened in 1725!), per Guinness Book of World Records.
We ordered the following items:
1) 2 pan (bread) 1.60 €
2) Setas salteadas con Jamon 11.70 € — mushrooms with iberico ham; this was a great veggie dish; loved it! :) would order again in a heart beat. 4 stars
3) Gazpacho 9.00 € — cold soup; my husband enjoyed this but I am not a fan. It’s just pureed bean soup!
4) Chipirones en su tinta 19.95 € — squid with rice (cooked in its own black ink); surprisingly flavorful and delicious! would order again! 4 stars
5) Cochinillo asado 24.60 € — this is their famous suckling pig. Very good. However, I have to say that it tastes similar to the roast pig we can by at Chinese BBQ joints back in California. :) haha 4 stars; portion size big enough for 2 people to share
6) Agua mineral 3.00 €
7) Half pitcher of sangria 7.60 €; tastes great and refreshing!
We heard this restaurant is so popular that you need to book reservations days/​weeks in advance. Now we know why and we’re so grateful we were able to get in on a Sunday evening to experience food and the atmosphere. Friendly service too. Cozy!
Check out the HORNO room, where they store and cook all the suckling pigs. :)

Siempre aciertan. Servicio impecable y cocina excelente. El cordero impresionante. Tienen una excelente cava de vinos.

O cochinilo eh o carro chefe deste histórico restaurante no coração de Madrid. Tido como o restaurante mais antigo do mundo, mantém bom serviço e qualidade nos seus pratos alem de ambiente elegante que nos transporta ao passado e nos faz imaginar quantas pessoas ali nao passaram nas ultimas décadas. O cardapio inclui a historia do restaurante e do titulo. O cochinilo é realmente delicioso e me arrependi enormemente (depois que o provei do prato de meu marido) de nāo ter pedido. Com tempero primoroso, a carne estava cozida a perfeição e derretia na boca. Único e imperdível.
Se voce é do tipo colecionador, vale checar o prato comemorativo do restaurante, uma ótima recordação da visita.

Botín para mí es un must en Madrid., precisamente por tener en su adn el alma castizadel pueblo de Madrid.
Sí, es turístico. Obvio; todos los sitios de referencia del mundo, ya sean monumentos, galerías, restaurantes, parques… etc se vuelven turísticos desde el primer momento que triunfan y su fama vuela de boca en boca… ahora de blog en blog o de página en página… Maxim s en París, Harry s Bar en Venecia… son sólo algunos ejemplos.
Ahora bien, nadie engaña. No pretende ser algo que no es, precisamente por ello lleva abierto desde 1725.
La materia prima es de gran calidad, nosotros nos decantamos por el cordero como no podía ser de otra manera.
El servicio estupendo, «de los de antes», de los que ya no encuentras… sí, sí, de esos que te sonríen cuando entras y te dan los buenos días o te desean una feliz tarde. Una gozada, qué pena que eso se esté perdiendo…
Relación calidad-​precio, la justa. Pagas lo que comes y, por supuesto, en el centro de Madrid.
Yo recomendaría a todo el mundo que, al menos, fueran una vez en su vida.

Íbamos a bodegas Ricla, justo en frente, después de revisar los comentarios de otras personas de Unilocal.Queríamos un cocido, pero allí no podíamos sentarnos en el restaurante porque es una taberna para estar de pie.
Así qué entramos en Botín como última opción. Típico lugar de turisteo. No mola a priori, pero también es verdad que no vas a darle una oportunidad si está en el sitio perfecto.
La sopa castellana, de las mejores que he probado, y luego el cochinillo. Para rematar de postre, unos bartolillos.
En definitiva, allí había turistas japoneses tomando un gazpacho con un frío que te mueres, habituales del local y los que caímos por allí de casualidad.
Servicio impecable y el precio acorde con lo que comes. No sientes que te tomen el pelo por el mero hecho de estar bien situado en una zona de turisteo.

Lo más antiguo restaurante del mundo, así se dicen. Me diría que esta restaurante se vale un visito, si solamente pa’ la novedad. Cuando he pasado de Madrid en el año anterior, tenía un objetivo para comer al restaurante, cual se encuentra casi directamente al centro de la ciudad. La comida he encontrado bien, pide para un plato de pollo, pero el estilo yo no tengo claro. Me diría que me ha probado un poco de curry, pero sin tanto sabor de tierra. La pan, para mi, dejó algo para ser deseado. Un poco duro, y prefiero mi pan que sea un poco más suave. Pero, las cosas que me han dejado encantado fueron el sabor de la sangría y el nivel excelente del servicio. He pedido para una media jarra de sangría, que han hecho con una jarra de arcilla, frutas maduras, y buenas melocotones. ¡Perfecto! La manera lo que hace falta para gran sangría. Y para el servicio, los meseros eran atentos, cortés, y no me han dado ninguno de pesados cuando me pedía para mi descuento, Una experiencia muy bonita para una extranjera, y un local también.

Ob es nun wirklich das älteste Restaurant der Welt ist kann ich nicht bestätigen, Tradition über mehr als ein Jahrhundert hat es sicher. Wir waren zum Mittag dort, hatten keine Reservierung (am Abend sicher notwendig) und hatten Lust auf Lamm– und Spanferkel aus dem Ofen nach Art von Segovia. Paella sollte man nicht erwarten, da dort weder angeboten, noch in Madrid eine Spezialität. Da sollte man eher nach Valencia gehen. Die Kellner in weissen Jackets lieferten einen klassischen Service und freuten sich über Gäste die in spanisch ihre Order abgaben. Da der Laden in jedem Reiseführer steht sitzt man unter vielen Touristen, jedoch auch Madrilenen geniessen die Küche dort. Wir waren mit dem Essen, dem Service und dem klassischen Ambiente zufrieden. Alles nicht unbedingt günstig, aber unseres Erachtens eine Empfehlung.

Excelente cochinillo, la verdad es que merece la pena al menos visitarlo aunque solo sea por ser el restaurante mas antiguo de la capital. Muy buen trato, el único pero los baños que estaban un poco sucios, pero supongo que pasa mucha gente por ellos.

No se por que visite exepto que fui con extranjeras que quieren visitar la restaurante mas antiguo de Madrid (pero no en el mundo). Pues, comemos alla para una cena caro y pequeno. Sino una pregunta, el servicio amiable trajio pan duro (sin aceite o mantequilla) que cuesta dos euros cada persona y agua con una cuesta tambien. El tinto de verano fue bueno, pero mas de la comida vegetariana fueron aburrido y poco por el precio alto. Paguemos casi dos cientos euros para siete personas, y nadie salio lleno. Tambien, otras mesas recibieron limones en su agua, pero no hay en nuestro agua.

Allí mismito nos enteramos de que es el restaurante más antiguo del mundo. Con el Guinness y todo. Y nosotros, que sólo buscábamos un sitio para comer y fuimos demasiado valientes al atrevernos demasiado cerca de la Plaza Mayor, nos encontramos con un ejército de turistas diciéndose: cochiniliou! Nosotros también pedimos de eso y no estaba mal, pero los encontraréis mejores y más baratos a no muchos metros de allí.

El restaurante más antiguo del mundo. Así, de sopetón, en el centro de Madrid (normal que el primer sitio para tomarse una cañita se fundara en Madrid, ¿no?). Casi 300 años poniendo comidas. Está en el Libro Guiness de los Records.
Esto de por sí ya merece una visita. El problema es que un montonazo de guiris así lo piensan y los dueños lo saben y aprovechan. Vamos, que en la factura pagas más los tropecientos años de historia que te rodean que lo que te has comido.
Si quieres venir, reserva. No te esperes la mejor de las atenciones, porque siempre están a tope de aforo, con lo cual no dejas de ser uno más, otro que pide el cochinillo, come, paga y se va.
Si eres como yo, que el cochinillo te gusta casi en cualquier modo y condición (me pasa lo mismo con el arroz, el peor del mundo me gusta) disfrutarás comiendo. Si pones un poco más de reparos, lo mismo te decepciona. Pero bueno, al menos será una decepción con solera…

Ich war 2006 im Mai da. Laut Selbstauskunft handelt es sich hier um das älteste genannte Restaurant der Welt. naja wie auch immer die Einrichtung und die Küchenausstattung macht einen sehr traditionellen Eindruck.
Das Essen, vom Belota Schinken über Muscheln bis hin zur Fleischküche (Spanferkel und traumhaft: Entrecôte vom Bullen) erste Sahne.
Ich kanns uneingeschränkt empfehlen.
Übrigens mein Ava ist da fotografiert worden.

He visitado recientemente Madrid y el lugar donde cenamos fue el Restaurante Botín. Os voy a hablar de mi experiencia allí.
PORQUÉ PRECISAMENTE EL BOTIN?
Lo elegimos porque uno de mis amigos vio un programa de cocina donde aparecía uno de los dueños (Antonio) hablando del restaurante y de su fama en cochinillo asado. Este amigo mío es Argentino y por ende amante de los asados en grado sumo, pero hechos de otra forma, así se puso en contacto directo con este señor y después del intercambio de varios mails nos convenció para ir a Madrid y para cenar allí y probar esa delicia. Hay que reconocer que gracias a ese contacto previo y a la palabrería de mi amigo nos atendió directamente Antonio, nos pasó a un apartado del restaurante (donde por cierto tienen un dibujo alusivo firmado por Mingote) mientras esperábamos a que nos preparasen la mesa y nos sirvió un pequeño aperitivo. Tras la cena nos enseñó la bodega y el famoso y antiquísimo horno (aunque creo que todo el que lo solicita puede verlo). Incluso nos firmó una de las cartas con dedicatoria incluida, aunque mi marido dijo que hubiese preferido que nos invitase a una copa es que mi marido es muy práctico.
UBICACIÓN Y DATOS PARA LAS RESERVAS
Supercéntrico. C/​Cuchilleros, 17. Madrid
Para quien no conozca por el nombre decirle que es una de las calles que baja de la Plaza Mayor.
Tel.: 91 366 42 17 (reservar con antelación porque se llena)
Mail:

DATOS INTERESANTES
El inicio del restaurante data de 1725 y a tenor de lo que dicen ellos y el libro Guinness es el restaurante más antiguo del mundo. Ahí es nada!
Por sus comedores han pasado personas ilustres (y famosos casposos todo hay que decirlo). Alejandro Sanz, Miguel Bosé, la mismísima Reina acompañada de nomeacuerdo qué mujer de algún presidente de EEUU, Pedro Almodovar
Por lo que también nos explicaron el restaurante es nombrado en varias obras de la literatura española como Fortunata y Jacinta, Misericordia, en las Gregerías de De la Serna, en alguna de Hemingway vamos, que no es moco de pavo este local.
El restaurante está todavía conservado con la arquitectura de la época, por lo menos en la planta baja (hay un comedor nada más entrar de la calle) y en la bodega (habilitada como comedor pero guardando totalmente la estructura original) que es donde nosotros cenamos. Sé que hay varios comedores más en distintas plantas, así como diversas cocinas aunque un solo horno.
Nuestro comedor, así como otro anexo que hay en la misma bodega y el que vimos nada más entrar estaba a tope, pero a tope tope de gente. Yo diría que incluso demasiada porque algunas mesas están tan pegadas a la pared que pueden resultar hasta incómodas. Había gente esperando en la puerta de la calle cuando fuimos y seguía habiendo más gente al marcharnos. Casi todos extranjeros por cierto. En cuanto una mesa queda vacía se limpia y en 5 minutos ya hay más comensales sentados. Pese a eso el servicio fue ágil y eficiente. Está claro que están acostumbrados a ese jaleo y lo llevan con dignidad, no ves malas caras entre el personal, al contrario, todo es amabilidad. El trato es correctísimo
=AL TURRON: QUE SE COME Y A QUE PRECIO?=
Esencialmente se come cochinillo y cordero asado. Sobre todo el cochinillo es la especialidad y desde ahora os digo que merece la pena probarlo. La carta se basa en cocina tradicional casera.
Como entrantes hay variedad donde elegir. Nosotros (éramos 4) compartimos una ensalada Botín de pollo y jamón bastante normalita a la que yo no llamaría más que ensalada mixta (lechuga, tomate, espárragos verdes, aceitunas aliñadas, remolacha, pechuga de pollo y jamón serrano, ambas cosas no demasiado abundantes). Otro de los platos que pedimos fueron setas a la segoviana (hechas al ajillo, bastante buenas pero sin más) y mocilla (muuuy rica).
Además de estos platos en la carta como entrantes hay pimientos asados con bacalao, lomo, jamón y surtido de ibéricos de bellota, melón con jamón queso puro de oveja churra ensalada riojana, croquetas de pollo y jamón, manitas de cochinillo rebozadas, salmón ahumado. Hay sopas (no recuerdo de qué, lo siento). Revuelto de trigueros, huevos con morcilla y patatas, espárragos, menestra.
Los platos fuertes que pedimos fueron 2 raciones de cochinillo y otras 2 de cordero asado. Ya digo que éramos 4 y que con la mitad hubiéramos quedado más que satisfechos. Si lo llegamos a saber pedimos 3 raciones para los 4 y vamos más que sobrados. Nos sobro bastante y eso que nos empanzurramos. Ambos estaban exquisitos. Ricos de verdad. El cochinillo con su piel crujiente, el cordero tierno como el agua mmm deliciosos. El acompañamiento son unas patatitas asadas muy ricas y nada más. No le hace falta nada más. Creo que solo por esto mereció la pena la visita al restaurante.
Además de esto hay más carnes donde elegir: Pollo asado, perdiz estofada, ternera a la plancha o asada
Y pescados: angulas (122 euros!!!), gambas, almejas, lenguado, merluza, langostinos,

Si hay un restaurante en Madrid que casi ningun ‘guiri’ deja de visitar este es Botín.
Catalogado segun el Guinnes como el restaurante mas antiguo del mundo, de principios de 1700.
Es un edificio por tanto muy antiguo, de varios pisos de altura, y con un sotano que es la parte mas llamativa ya que parece una cueva.
Como el Landó tiene fotos de famosillos por todas partes.
Cuando fuimos, previa reserva, estaba atestado de japoneses y americanos.
La comida es típica castellana, sin nada que lo haga especial, mas alla del ambiente y decoración tan entrañables.
El cochinillo que es el plato estrella estaba bien, aunque sin pasarse.
El servicio fue aceptable, con camareros de casi tanta edad con el local, un poco antipáticos.
El precio es caro, pero bueno, pagas esa antigüedad.

Excellent restaurant traditionnel !
Cette Maison fondée en 1725 est le plus ancien restaurant au monde (selon le livre Guiness des records !). Il est à deux pas de la Plaza Mayor. La carte y est superbe ! Un gigantesque choix de spécialités locales aussi bonnes les unes que les autres. La spécialité de la maison est le cochon de lait rôti ! Un délice et il est autorisé à passer le voir en cuisine. Par contre, je conseille de réserver car l’adresse est connue (et reconnue) et le restaurant (à plusieurs étages) se remplit très vite.

El Decano
El mas antiguo de los restaurantes de Madrid (y del Mundo): comida típica excelente y muy buen servicio. Situado, además, en un punto muy «castizo». No debe perdérselo en su viaje a Madrid. Hay que decir que su precio, algo caro, está en línea con los atractivos del local.

Hemingway ate here
Un lugar muy turístico, eso sí, ya que no es muy común cenar en el restaurante más antiguo del mundo (es restaurante desde 1725) y es un buen lugar para probar el cochinillo asado. Además, Hemingway no sólo comió en este local, tamnbién situó una escena de uno de sus libros en Casa Botín. Así que tiene tanto éxito con los americanos que el dueño actual creó una réplica del restaurante en Miami…