Chico Madrid

Chico Madrid is having an identity crisis.
Walking in, one is greeted by Maneki-​Neko, the waving cat, sitting beside a fruit altar. Wait — did I accidentally walk into a sushi restaurant? The matador bust around the corner gives away the Spanish.
The waitress who greets us is straight out of Mel’s Diner, in her polyester navy dress with white collar and oozing, yet removed demeanor. I can’t help but feel like I’m about to enjoy something with garlic mashed potatoes and sweet tea.
Then, there’s the music. The Cure? My pale white ass and tattoos fit right in. Sorry, no images of swarthy 5-o’clock shadows here.
Lack of any ambiance aside…
The food arrives rather quickly — there’s hardly anybody else in the place. We start with the Olives and the Paté de Conejo. Interesting, but not anything you couldn’t find around the olive bar at a good grocery store. My partner swears the paté is Deviled Ham.
The Ensalada arrives. It’s supposed to have pickled onion, preserved lemon,
aged manchego, and garlic bread crumbs. We hold the cheese and we’re left with… pickled onion and a neat stack of romaine leaves. Where’s the rest? When we inquire, we’re told everything is chopped super fine. Is that what that fine dusting of powder is? The dowdy waitress brings us extra lemon — clearly, they’ve forgotten most of the ingredients on this salad.
Now comes the AB&Q, which she describes as a «PB&J». That’s exactly what it is. For $ 7. It’s tasty but, again, something I could easily slap together with a quick trip to the store.
As we part ways with our Sybil, I read the sign on the door citing the restaurant’s re-​opening and thanking their neighborhood for the support. I see the logo at the bottom: Marination. Ug, that explains everything.

Little baguette heaven!
I love all things Chico Madrid! This place is my go to spot when I want a peaceful lunch, early dinner or a snack in between. It’s cute, small, quaint and have great food.
Love–
Their baguettes & bocadillos! Salmon being my favorite. I’ve tried the ham, tuna and few other things but the salmon is by far the best. They are well made, crips, crunchy and super tasty. J & Q bocadillo, Bonito (my fav) and chorizo bocadillo are all fantastic!
Prices maybe a little high compared to the regular sandwich shop but this is comparable to what you’ll get back in Spain. Reminds me of Barcelona minus all the tapas option. They have a few here.
Happy hour– sangria & wine! They have both red and white wine sangria. I’ve had both but red wine sangria all the way for me.
The server is also very nice. (Jessica I believe). I often don’t like to dine a lone but this is one of the few places that I would. I’ve spent many lazy afternoons here on Sundays. Worked from here while I devoured my sammich. And sipped on a few glasses of sangria during their happy hour. Yumm yumm. It’s like you’re back in Spain minus the traveling. All neighborhood eatery should be as good and cute as this! Love love love– that is all.

I live very close by so I go here often. Sandwiches are interesting but I usually just go for the caffeinated beverages, hot ones being good and iced ones being great.
Service is always excellent.

Very good sandwich place. Liked it better for the type of sandwiches rather than the portions but it hits home for the kinda bites you find in some hot spots in Spain.
The Chorizo was just fine. Nothing spectacular. Likewise for the Tuna. But overall I would go again to have a lite lunch and maybe a little wine. MAYBE.

¡Ojo! Madrileño
I wanted to relive the time I studied in Spain in college and I’ve been dying to find food that reminded me of such a good time.
Service — The waitress was absolutely awesome and attentive. I really, really appreciate great service.
Food:
Olives — big and meaty, a little dry but still loved them.
Tortilla Espanola — lacking in flavor and I should’ve put more sauce (aioli) on it but I’m use to eating it plain.
Charcuterie plate or tabla de fiambres — was pretty good with nice meats. They ran out of jamon and drove to get more in their reserve storage, which was so fricken’ nice of them.
Mousse de pato — duck liver pâté with port wine gel. It was pretty good but didn’t knock my socks off.
Datiles — blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped with serrano ham in a tiny bed of argula made me want more with the 3 tiny dates that we shared among 4 people.
Drinks — they gave us such generous tastes and pours. I liked their choice in Cava Rose Brut. My friends liked their wines.
I like the idea but it didn’t do it for me. It is missing an actual kitchen so everything is prepped ahead of time or doesn’t need cooking so I think that would add something to it. The lay out is awkward and it didn’t feel like a good use of space.
I might come back for the sandwich if I’m walking by. Although it will be hard to beat the sandwiches my mama would make for me in Spain that were to die for. The parking in that part of town is horrific so you might as well walk there or take a cab. We all spent forever trying to find a parking spot.

My favorite lunch place! And in the neighborhood. The wait staff is also amazing! Chorizo bocadillo is sooooooo good.
love you chico!

The atmosphere is lovely, fresh flowers on the table, everything is so clean…
I only stopped in for a hot Chai tea latte, but it came to me at the perfect temperature, and believe you me, I am a heat-​weenie. :)

I went to Chico Madrid back in September, so this review is long overdue!
My family was in town visiting, and we stopped by for a quick bite based on the proximity to my house. We were greeted by a friendly and knowledgable woman, whom of which was able to articulate what was on the menu for someone not used to this type of cuisine.
The food was delicious, and the prices were reasonable. The outdoor seating was nice during the warmer months, and the inside has a nice café/​bistro feel to it. I would recommend it to anyone who asks.

Terrible food and service. There’s a reason they are always empty.

This was the worst dining experience I’ve had in Seattle in a very long time. Every aspect was disappointing. If I could give zero stars I would.
First, our waitress had no idea how to open a bottle of wine, okay, they can be trickey, gave her the benefit of the doubt, but when she mistook me for Courtney Cox on Cougar Town and filled my glass as if it were «Big Carl» I knew she was clueless about wine service. She poured half a bottle of wine into each of our glasses, no joke.
We unfortunately ordered a whole bunch of food at once. When the first round of beef stuffed peppers and meatballs came and were rotten, chef must not taste his food? Neither dish was edible. Next came the mushy, tasteless, microwaved eggplant– at least it was hot unlike our previous dishes. We took a reluctant bite of the tuna sandwich and it was so bad we were scared to eat anything else, so we didn’t — 95% of our food sat uneaten at our table and the clueless server asked if we wanted it packed to go??? The table next to us got chatty, as they had the same experience. We left hungry, with a giant bill.

Hands down this place has awesome flavors with the sandwiches they make and the meatballs I ordered were just ok but its sauce was awesome! Before all that, we had this appetizer that was made out of potatoes with anchovies on top with this special dipping sauce that was really good.
Awesome small hole in the wall, parking situation sucks around the area might as well cab or walk it. Easily worth the visit as first timers and the waitresses were super nice and helpful when we were selecting what to eat.
Find the time to check this out for all you hardcore foodies!
Enjoy and happy eats!

A bijou european bistro with counter service and outside seating.
They have a giant mirror on the wall which makes the room look larger, and makes me mistake myself for a stranger, «Why is that pretty, stylishly dressed girl starring at me?» That mirror is absolutely not the main virtue of the venue. Sandwiches are fantastic, the kitchen is obviously paying a top buck for the ingredients.
I’d order white sangria right now, but I live in Belltown, and have to come up with excuses to walk all the way there. So go check out those Belroy apartments and stop by Chico Madrid!

Ohhhhh YUM! Thanks Katy for taking me to this wonderful place! I am now already wanting to go back for their delicious chorizo and scrumptious bread. Ah! So good!
We had first ordered a little appetizer before started our dinner. It included a cheese platter full of a few pieces of some parmesan, blue and a creamy white cheese. Then we got another order of meats that came with their delicious chorizo and prosciutto. Of course both of them came with some bread to spread these yummy goodies onto, you can’t have cheese and meat without bread! Bread makes the world go round… in my opinion :)
Their chorizo is very thin but very flavorful. It is sprinkled with a little olive oil and has a little spice to it but not much. I am not a big spice person so it has the perfect little punch for this girl!
Then an hour and a half later, we decide that some food would probably be a good idea! I got the chorizo sandwich, obviously because I am obsessed with their chorizo and just can’t get enough.
When the sandwich was in front of me it looked so delicious! Served on crispy bread, with a light tomato sauce, chorizo and parmesan cheese, layers of yummy goodness. I am getting hungry just thinking about it! It was the perfect mix of flavors and I ate it all… every single bite.
As a little treat to go with the sandwiches, we ordered some white sangria. It looked like a nice refreshing drink on a warm day so we ordered a glass. Just a warning, it packs a punch! It is a lot stronger than we both imagined, almost like a liquor mixed drink. But other than that still good, just don’t drink it too fast!
The staff was really friendly, great service. It was a little slow but I think that was only because we got busy talking and talking and talking some more that they didn’t want to disturb us! :)
Great place, definitely going back!

I love this place, unfortunately– I can only really write a review favorable of the espresso, staff and ambiance of the place. I have yet to eat any of the food offerings, but that will change… oh, that will change.
This cute little café is tucked away on the Hill, and is a great little stop. The staff makes a fine americano and all of the folks have been friendly, courteous and even remember me (I come in for coffee twice a week while at work).
I come in right before lunch– and the smells coming out of the kitchen smell sooo amazing. One day they were slicing up some jamon– and I got a little faint in the knees.
SO– I can report: staff and americanos are excellent. The place is kinda tiny– but quaint, it can get humming pretty quick it seems. There’s outdoor seating too, which is pretty sweet since it’s not on a major arterial. I will report after trying some of the lunch offerings!

I had the salad with tuna, which was fantastic. Service was great and the servers very knowledgeable. We shared the bread with bleu cheese, chocolate and tomato. My favorite was the tomato because it reminded me of the bread I had in Barcelona. The chocolate was a great idea and it was smooth and creamy. The bleu cheese and honey on bread was amazing. Very cool idea.
I had the sangria which I liked even though I’m not a huge wine drinker.
It’s not very filling, as these are tapas. Don’t go on an empty stomach. Perhaps go here for an appetizer, then have dinner somewhere else.
Street parking was crazy because it’s in a sort of residential neighborhood, and we went on a Thursday night at 6, so plan ahead.

What an amazing hidden gem and a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Stopped in here for lunch on Friday and had the amazing bacon bocadillo — first of all, the baguettes are heaven. Seriously transported me to Madrid in .5 seconds. The sangria? PERFECTION. Not too sweet and one glass, I went back to the office with a little buzz. :) VIVA!
They also have patio seating so this could be the perfect place to enjoy some relaxation with a book and a glass… of that sangria :) Olé!

Had a fabulous experience here with my husband and friends. The food is tasty and fairly priced, (the tab for the table was about $ 50 without tip, which included a bottle of wine), the selection is nice but not overwhelming, and the service was great. The restaurant is a cute little café-​style place in Capitol Hill. Parking — and walking down the steep streets in cute heels! — can be atrocious, but there it is.
They have a variety of bites, baguette and panini sandwiches. They offered to cup up the sandwiches so that we could eat them all tapas style; we ordered a few sandwiches and bites (bleu cheese toast drizzled with honey? Oh yes) and split them. And we split a bottle of wine, which was $ 16. Oh yes. That was about the average price, too. How could we not? The sandwiches were typical European — meats and cheeses, a spread (and a few vegetarian options) done up in a simple, show-​case-​the-​ingredients manner. We’re fans.
They’re open in the morning with freshly baked goods (I think one of the owners has a bakery, too) and a full espresso bar. If I lived in the area, I would be here way more often. Affordable, tasty eats with a lot of personality and inspiration. Come here.

What a perfect little gem! This place serves delicious little bocadillo sandwiches that are reasonably priced and packed full of flavor. The chorizo bocadillo was fantastic! I had trouble choosing between two wines and the lovely server Whitney let me sample each. Their sangria is served in a tall, pint style glass. Loved it.
It goes without saying I was surprised to find such a high quality, cheap find right under my nose. If you’ve ever been to Spain, you’ll realize this place is right on the money in terms of style and offerings.
With the perfect balance of warm and attentive service, this place has it all if you’re looking for a cozy spot for an inexpensive tasty dinner and drink.

I wonder if there’s been a change of ownership in the few days since these other good reviews were written, and I am having to double– and triple-​check that we’re even talking about the same restaurant, because this place was bad beyond mediocre — this place was offensive and felt like an extreme rip-​off.
My chorizo bocadilla came on bread that was so stiff I felt like my teeth were going to get pulled out. I don’t know if it was two-​day-​old from QFC, but that’s about what it tasted like. Beyond that, the sweet tomato paste (really needs to be on the menu as «tomato jelly» or something to hint at how sweet it is) kinda overpowered the chorizo, and the thick-​sliced goat cheese overpowered the paste. Really chaffed that I spent $ 8 on essentially an almost-​inedible, poorly-​taste-​constructed sandwich.
Tablemates got the bikinis, and the bread was better there, but when I sampled them, the tomato paste again completely overwhelmed everything else.
The service was mostly fine, although the waiter pulled off a pretty gratuitous up-​sell on one of my table-​mates; she ordered a bikini, and he told her it was too small to eat on its own and suggested a salad. Well, the sandwich turned out to be plenty for one person, and the salad turned about to be an incredibly huge, unwieldy thing.
Oh, finally: the Tortilla Espanola. This dish was so bad it defies belief. A tortilla wrapped around chunks of potato and egg and served cold with some aioli. Basically every bite is offensively bland, canola-​oil infused wretchedness.
I have never, in all my restaurant experiences in Seattle, been so pissed when I went to sign the check, knowing that I just forked over twenty bucks for a bunch of inedible slop. The one saving grace — the only thing that earned them the one star Unilocal requires — was the kali motxo. Thankfully they managed not to screw _​that_​up.

Whenever I talk about trips to Spain I always remember to mention to people how popular bocadillos are when you go out. Wherever you go you’re offered small snacks with drinks, and it really impressed me how great some of these simple dishes really were. I found myself ordering these little bocadillos sandwiches everywhere I went.
Then last week when I heard about the grand opening of Chico Madrid, I knew I had to go ASAP. And good thing I did! This spot is adorable and the menu is just what I was hoping for when I read about it online. My boyfriend and I each ordered a bocadillo to split between the two of us. I got jamon and he opted for a tuna variety. Both were tasty, though we agreed the jamon was a little better. I’ll definitely be back to eat here again, I just wish that for the price, the sandwiches were a teeny, tiny bit bigger. Of course they’re similar in size to what you getin Spain, but hey — this chubby girl’s gotta eat! I suspect the cost of the ingredients and the labor goes into the $ 8 price for these little guys, so it won’t stop me from coming back. I just know to order more food next time!