La Tomasa is a neighborhood bar-restaurant in Madrid's Centro district with a spacious interior and a decent terrace — but that's about where the positives end. Reviews across multiple platforms are overwhelmingly negative, with diners citing poorly executed dishes, inconsistent service, and prices that don't match the quality. If you're in the Palacio area, there are far better spots for Spanish bar food within walking distance.
Spacious bar with a decent terrace in Madrid's Centro, but reviews are overwhelmingly poor — skip the menú del día and stick to a drink.
If you end up here, sit on the terrace and stick to drinks — reviewers consistently flag the food, especially the weekend menú del día, as poorly executed and overpriced.
A spacious terrace can't save this underwhelming bar
Let's be straight with you: La Tomasa is the kind of place you walk past a dozen times before ever considering going in, and honestly, the reviews suggest you should keep walking. With a 1.8/5 rating on Tripadvisor across 161 reviews — ranking it near the very bottom of Madrid's restaurant list — the consensus is pretty clear. Diners complain about poorly cooked and badly plated dishes, with one reviewer mentioning a revuelto de setas that was badly served and cooked, a mediocre cachopo, and only the dessert being passable.
The space itself isn't the problem — it's described as a roomy neighborhood bar with a good terrace, which in theory makes it a fine spot for a casual drink or a quick bite outdoors. The menu leans Spanish bar classics at mid-to-upper price points (€€-€€€), but the execution doesn't seem to justify what they're charging. If you do find yourself here, stick to the terrace and a drink, and maybe skip the menú del día on weekends. There are simply too many excellent bars and restaurants in the Centro and Palacio area to settle for this.