If you only visit three spots for croquetas in Madrid, make them Salino, Santerra, and Casa Julio.
Salino earns the top spot by the most objective measure available: it won the best croqueta de jamon iberico in all of Spain at Madrid Fusion 2026. Chef Alejandro Cano's version is made with milk infused the day before with a ham bone at low temperature, which gives the interior a depth of flavour that most croquetas — even very good ones — simply do not have. The bar is on Calle Menorca 4, a few minutes' walk from the east gate of the Retiro park, and it operates as an aperitivo bar where you can eat the winning croqueta daily. There is no gimmick and no elaborate presentation — just a croqueta that has been thought through from the inside out.
Santerra ranks second because it has held the conversation about what makes a great croqueta longer than almost anyone else in the city. Chef Miguel Carretero won the Madrid Fusion croqueta competition in 2018, eight years before Salino took the title, and the restaurant has since earned a Michelin star (awarded in 2024). The croquetas — Iberian ham, about 3 euros each — are served at the bar counter as well as at tables, which means you can eat one of the most discussed tapas in Madrid without booking a full tasting menu. They are made with a short bechamel, just liquid enough at the centre, with a thin crust that cracks cleanly. Santerra is on General Pardinas 56 in Barrio Salamanca, one stop from Goya on Metro Line 4.
Casa Julio ranks third for reasons that have nothing to do with competition victories: it is the neighbourhood bar that Malasana residents argue about on their group chats, it has been going for decades, and its croqueta costs about 1.10 euros each when you order a full dozen for around 13 euros. The bar at Calle de la Madera 37 is small, often packed, and offers several vegetarian options alongside the classic jamon. It is the answer when someone asks where Madrilenos actually eat croquetas on a Tuesday.
Seven spots verified as currently operating in October 2026, with street addresses, nearest metro stops, and the specific thing to order at each. Price tiers: € = under €15 per person; €€ = €15-35; €€€ = above €35 for a full meal. Individual croquetas typically cost €1-4 at most bars on this list. Details checked October 2026 — hours and prices change, so confirm before you go. None of these bars are chains and no payment has been accepted for inclusion in this ranking.
1. Salino — Calle Menorca 4, Retiro — 5 min walk from the Retiro park east gate, Metro Ibiza (L9) — €/€€ — the award-winning jamon iberico croqueta (2026 Madrid Fusion winner); serves daily as an aperitivo bar; the bechamel is made with ham-bone-infused milk and is noticeably creamier than the standard version; order a half-dozen alongside a glass of vermouth or a cold beer
2. Santerra — General Pardinas 56, Barrio Salamanca — Metro Lista (L4), 3 min walk — €€€ at the restaurant / €€ at the bar — the Iberian ham croqueta at about €3 each; the bar counter is accessible without a reservation; the kitchen also holds a Michelin star (awarded 2024); Tuesday to Saturday 13:00-15:30 and 20:00-23:00, closed Sunday and Monday
3. Casa Julio — Calle de la Madera 37, Malasana — Metro Tribunal (L1/L10), 2 min walk — € — classic jamon croqueta plus several vegetarian variants; order the full dozen (12 croquetas) for approximately €13; the bar is small with limited seating; closed Sundays; everything arrives piping hot from the kitchen
4. Casa Labra — Calle Tetuan 12, Centro — Metro Sol (L1/L2/L3), 1 min walk — € — the bacalao (salt cod) croqueta, not the jamon — this is the most distinctive croqueta on the list and the only one here made from fish; the bar has been operating near Sol since the 1860s; closes entirely August 1-28; the stand-up counter fills from 13:00 on weekdays
5. Café Comercial — Glorieta de Bilbao 7, Malasana border — Metro Bilbao (L1/L4), directly at the door — €/€€ — the jamon croqueta at one of Madrid's last surviving grand cafes, founded in 1887; order at the marble bar alongside a vermut rojo; Monday to Friday 8:30am-2am, Saturday 9am-2am, Sunday 9:30am-2am — one of the only bars on this list open in the morning
6. El Escondite de Villanueva — Calle de Villanueva 26, Salamanca/Retiro border — Metro Retiro (L9) or Ibiza (L9), 5 min walk — €€ — the truffle and parmesan croqueta, which earned the bar a place on the 2026 Ruta de la Croqueta; a more polished setting than the classic taberna style, with a full tapas menu alongside; the jamon version is also available
7. Melo's — Calle Ave Maria 44, Lavapies — Metro Lavapies (L3), 4 min walk — € — classic jamon and lacon (cured shoulder) croquetas at a no-frills bar; evenings only, roughly Tuesday to Saturday from around 21:00; no reservations taken; cash preferred; the crowd is almost entirely local
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These are our picks, not a ranking by aggregated online review counts or platform ratings. The criteria used were: demonstrated expertise — has the kitchen won or been seriously discussed in Madrid's croqueta competitions?; local credibility — do people who live in the barrio eat here regularly, or is the clientele mostly visitors who found the bar on a list?; consistency over time — has the kitchen kept the same quality standard for several years?; and clarity of intent — does this bar do something with its croqueta that a dozen other places do not?
Salino ranks first because it won the highest-profile croqueta competition in Spain in 2026. Santerra ranks second because it has been making one of the most discussed versions in the city since 2018 and has since added a Michelin star. Casa Labra ranks fourth despite its age and historical standing because its bacalao croqueta is a distinct category from the jamon versions above it — it is the city's most distinctive fish croqueta, not quite in direct competition with the jamon specialists.
Melo's ranks last because its hours are limited to evenings only and the bar is harder to reach for someone on a standard sightseeing day in Madrid. The croqueta itself is not the weakest on the list — on a Tuesday night in Lavapies it is arguably the most satisfying of the seven, once you factor in the atmosphere. We have not included bars that appear on travel lists primarily because visitors photograph them, rather than because locals return to eat there.
Budget (under €10 for croquetas): Casa Julio gives you 12 croquetas for approximately €13 shared between two people — around €6.50 per person with a drink. Melo's runs a similar price and is the best value for an evening out in Lavapies. Casa Labra is close behind: the bacalao pinchos cost about €1.30 each and the croquetas are similarly priced at one of the cheapest bars near Sol.
One singular award-winning croqueta: Salino, and it is not close. Chef Alejandro Cano's version won the best jamon iberico croqueta in all of Spain at Madrid Fusion 2026. The bar is open daily as an aperitivo spot; arrive before 14:30 for the best experience.
Creative filling (not classic jamon): El Escondite de Villanueva for the truffle and parmesan version — the most distinctive non-traditional croqueta on the list. Casa Labra for bacalao if you want to eat something rooted in Madrid food history rather than a contemporary reinvention.
Late night: Melo's is the only bar on this list that runs as a late-night venue, open roughly Tuesday to Saturday from 21:00 through the early hours. If you find yourself in Lavapies after dinner and want something genuinely good to eat, this is the right answer.
Most central location: Casa Labra, one minute from Puerta del Sol, is the easiest spot to reach from anywhere in central Madrid. Cafe Comercial near Glorieta de Bilbao is the best option if you are already in Malasana or Chamberi.
Historic atmosphere: Cafe Comercial, founded in 1887, is one of Madrid's last surviving grand cafes — high ceilings, marble counters, and a clientele that spans retirees reading newspapers to younger Madrilenos on their way somewhere else. The croqueta is good; the building is worth a stop for its own reasons, regardless of what you order.
Madrid's top croqueta bars are spread across the city, which means the best pick usually depends on where you already are.
Near Sol and the historic centre: Casa Labra on Calle Tetuan 12 is the most accessible spot on the list — one minute from Puerta del Sol and open daily. It is the only bar here where the standout croqueta is made from bacalao rather than jamon, and the only one with serious historical significance dating to the 1860s.
Malasana and Tribunal: Casa Julio on Calle de la Madera 37 is the classic local choice, two minutes from Metro Tribunal. Cafe Comercial is ten minutes north on foot at Glorieta de Bilbao and stays open from morning if you want croquetas earlier in the day or late at night.
Barrio Salamanca: Santerra at General Pardinas 56 (Metro Lista, L4) is the area's best option by a significant margin — one of the most discussed croquetas in the city, at a Michelin-starred restaurant. El Escondite de Villanueva at Calle de Villanueva 26 is about ten minutes' walk south and offers the truffle variant as a good alternative.
Retiro: Salino at Calle Menorca 4 is the current national competition winner and sits right on the edge of the park, making it easy to combine with a walk through El Retiro or a morning at the Prado. The what to eat in Madrid guide covers the full Madrid food landscape beyond croquetas, from cocido Madrileno to the best tabernas in each barrio.
Lavapies: Melo's on Calle Ave Maria 44 opens evenings only. It is the right choice after dark in one of Madrid's most interesting and genuinely local neighbourhoods.
In most of Madrid, no. The free tapa with every drink is primarily a tradition in Granada, Almería, Jaen, and other Andalusian cities. Madrid does have bars that occasionally bring a small bite with a first drink, but it is not standard practice and none of the quality croqueta bars on this list operate that way. You pay for what you order — which at these bars means roughly €1-4 per croqueta depending on the venue and the filling.
The closest thing to an exception in spirit is Casa Labra, where the pinchos de bacalao — small fried pieces of salt cod, not technically croquetas — are priced so low (around €1.30) that they function almost as accompaniments to a glass of wine. The full croqueta there costs slightly more but the bar's old-school tapas pricing makes it one of the most affordable spots on the list.
If you are specifically seeking the free-tapa tradition, plan a trip to Granada where the rules are very different: order a drink, receive a tapa. Madrid is a different culture and a different budget — but the croquetas are better.
The busiest windows at Madrid's top croqueta bars are Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes, between 13:30 and 15:30, when Madrilenos treat tapas as a pre-meal aperitivo that runs long. If you want the best selection without queuing, Tuesday to Thursday lunch is significantly quieter at all seven spots on this list. Arriving at or just after opening time — typically 13:00 for lunch service — gives you the full menu and a more relaxed atmosphere.
October is a good month to visit. Summer crowds have mostly passed, the weather is comfortable for walking between barrios, and all seven bars on this list are fully open. Casa Labra specifically reopens on August 29 after its full-month summer closure, so October puts you safely clear of that gap.
Santerra books up faster than the others because of its Michelin star. If you want to sit at a table rather than standing at the bar, a reservation a few days in advance is wise on weekends. For every other bar on this list, walking in is the standard approach — and for Melo's in Lavapies, it is the only option, since no reservations are taken.
