Madrina Bar y Tapas

Really loved it there! The service was incredible, I wanted to try the tasting menu but I was by myself, and they usually only do it for at least two people at a time. The waitress spoke with the chef and they were able to accommodate my situation, which I really appreciated. Overall, the food was really great. My favorites were the tartare, the croquetas de chorizo, the patatas bravas, and the dessert, but everything was awesome. Looking forward to coming back!

January 1, 2025 on Google

Great ambiance, uniquely beautiful interior design. Service was not spectacular. We didn’t receive the reservation text properly so had to call a cal centre (which was automated) in order to get into the distillery district. Our waiter was very shy and we were not treated special in any way. The truffle was lovely. Potatoes in the dishes were all very nice. Would recommend the pulpos (octopus). The mushroom was also great. Our 4 tapas dishes totalled $60.

December 28, 2024 on Google

A happy day in the Distillery district. Despite the touristy aspects of this area, this restaurant downtown isn't a tourist trap. Food was excellent, our server was great fun. We were a table of three mid afternoon.

December 11, 2024 on Google

Madrina Bar y Tapas was a delightful find! We stumbled upon it while exploring the area, and its unique interior design, featuring beautiful paintings and a display of bottles on the shelves, immediately caught our attention. We tried their house-made gin and tonic with extra orange peel, it had a refreshing flavor that paired perfectly with our food. The fried fish and the steak served on a base of eggplant—both were incredibly flavorful and well-prepared. Everything about the experience was enjoyable, and we’d definitely recommend it for anyone looking for great tapas and drinks thsi area!

December 1, 2024 on Google

We were really stoked to eat here on a quick weekend in Toronto! The vibes here were excellent & definitely felt like THE place to be. It was a little tricky to find, as the Christmas market was happening in the space right outside the restaurant going down blocks. The service was fantastic - our waiter was extremely friendly & explained the options to us well! Only complaint with the drinks is that there is no non-alcoholic beer on the menu! Even just one would be a nice addition. The food was good, beautiful presentation, but a tad underwhelming in terms of flavour! We had high hopes but none of us had a dish that really blew us away. The vibes & service made up for it though & we did leave feeling happy & full!

November 27, 2024 on Google

Had dinner with my male partner here last night. All service for him, non for me. The tall blonde waitress was very disrespectful, dismissive, and discriminated against me. She maintained eye contact and spoke to my partner only, stand on his side only, not acknowledging my existence the whole time, had very weird passive aggressive energy towards me. She did all these and assume my partner would pay. When I asked for the bill she was shocked and pretended she didn’t hear the first time. After I paid I wanted to have a word with her about receiving such unfair treatment, she disappeared into the kitchen immediately. I spoke to the receptionist about the situation she was very understanding and informed the manager. As a woman of color I was very uncomfortable dining at this restaurant. After all she ruined the whole dining experience. It’s ashamed that a Michelin restaurant provides such awful service.

November 19, 2024 on Google

I promised I would return, and I did. I want to share my thoughts from an empathetic perspective, being someone who also works in hospitality. What happened yesterday with the tasting menu? I understand that I changed the reservation time, and the hostess informed me they closed at 11 PM, but the service was extremely slow. Initially, we wanted to order an additional 2 or 3 a la carte dishes as we had done before, but everything arrived slowly. The dishes lacked salt, and the rice was overlooked. The patatas bravas were not spicy either. A well-organized kitchen should have been able to serve that menu in under 45 minutes. Thankfully, we ordered mineral water, which allowed us to add some salt to balance the flavors of the dishes. I must admit that the dessert we had was better than the one from the previous menu. At all times, I felt responsible for choosing to dine at that time. However, I made it clear from the very beginning, both to the hostess during my call and to the server, that we wanted the tasting menu. Before 10 pm we're seated. Even at 10:30 PM, a couple arrived and received their main dishes before we did; our last dish didn’t come out until 11:25 PM. The server seemed eager to leave, speaking at an incredibly fast pace. I highlight the 2 mocktails that I had since I couldn't drink alcohol yesterday, quite expressive and nailed as the description said, the sangria very good as my husband remembered it, The rhubarb sour is sweeter than he expected, since last time the bartender was very kind, I confess that I was craving "the night of passion", which by far has been my favorite cocktail in the town. Next time I will definitely order it. I have consistently recommended this restaurant, and I've noticed the kitchen has been busy, and maybe with the holiday market now in full swing. I want to believe this was an isolated incident. I would consider giving it another chance, but definitely not at closing time. I left feeling as though it was my fault for choosing to dine on a Saturday night at 10 PM.

November 17, 2024 on Google

Traditional Tapas were amazing. The steak tartare on a roasted marrow bone was delicious as well as the oxtail buns. Great selection of cocktails. Liam fabulous waiter and helped pick the delicious food. Gotta try the Coria Del Rio it's excellent

October 19, 2024 on Google