Madrina Bar y Tapas in Toronto

Well , my husband was excited to take me for lunch in the cold winter weather and made it sound that this place was amazing and worth it . We had the Tapas which we had 9 plates of not much for 2 people . It was very cold inside thinking there would be some heat considering it s in the minus temperature . So I asked the guy working there at the coat check if they can raise the heat on behalf of myself / husband and 2 other elderly ladies sitting beside us and his answer was the heat was turned up and will take time and with attitude suggested for me to have coffee or tea to basically warm up !! way to go. They have wine bottles displayed behind where I was sitting and a few times they would come over and disturb me dealing with the bottles while I m eating or having a conversation . The ONLY positive thing I could say was our waitress Crystal was AMAZING !!! She had great customer service with a smile , explained all the ingredients / food we were eating and was just pleasant !!! THANK YOU CRYSTAL!!! I won t be going back and hopefully that goes for my husband as well

Great location in the distillery district. Fast service and electric atmosphere. Recommended.

After finishing a business trip in the United States, I transferred to Toronto to spend the Christmas holiday with my son. The first delicious meal in the local area is worth recommending

Best Spanish restaurant in town. The beef tartare is my favourite.

Unfortunately not so impressed, some redeeming qualities and some experiments that missed the mark. Some creative menu options & have to hand it to them the crispy things were fried nicely, a nice light crisp. But overall lacking in flavour and seasoning. Some things on the menu just don t quite hit. Like warm egg yolk and truffle, egg was raw tasting but lukewarm. I like century eggs, etc, but this was confusing for the palette. Underwhelming & a little odd. For $200+ for two people, I would have hoped for more space between seating too. Lots of people bumping into our chairs.

It should be a nice evening with my girlfriend, so went to the Michelin restaurant Madrina Bar y Tapas in the distillery district. I ate in a lot of Michelin restaurants around the World, Madrina Bar y Tapas is the worst Ive been to regarding service and food. The service is very bad we both were ignored by our waitress and she served in the meantime the white couple next to us. The food got dumped onto the table without even looking at us and we both felt very discriminated. The food was not very good. We ordered the eggplants as an appetizer and we got a thin slice of bread with a little bit of eggplant. The paella was just some flavourless rice with some seafood. It is the name of paella unworthy! Ive been to Spain several times and ate at several Spanish restaurants around the world. The paella here is missing any flavour, it is a big disappointment. Overall it felt like a scam, overpriced food bad service and we felt discriminated!

Loved the experience

Overpriced and underdelivered. Service: Came here for a birthday, wrote that into the reservation, got a high top even though there were several empty tables, no wishes, no politeness (and I really tend not to notice these things usually so it really was quite cold) Food: I m a foodie and I love fine dining so I m okay with high prices so long as the food delivers. Adjusted for price, this was a very poor food experience. Portions were small which is fine for tapas but I was expecting the flavour to be excellent and it was not. FYI paella isn t main course sized.

Great vibe and wonderful wine selection. The food is extremely expensive. It tasted great but you can find high quality food elsewhere in the city, even other Michelin guide restaurants, for half the price. Prepare to spend a lot of money here

excellent spanish wine list. jamon was exquisite. smoked octopus and oxtail buns were very tasty.

not a fan.. very basic food.. priced as a high end place but under delivers

Great service. Loved the atmosphere. Patatas Bravas plating was unique, but I was in the mood for more traditional style. Enjoyed dessert alot.

I recently dined here and the atmosphere was vibrant and inviting, perfect for enjoying a night out. The highlight of the evening was the exceptional service provided by Jake, James, Ishann & Celeste. James was knowledgeable about the menu and offered great recommendations. Staff ensured we felt well taken care of throughout our meal. The tapas were absolutely delicious I especially loved the smoked mackerel & ajoblanco. Overall, I highly recommend Madrina for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine with fantastic service. I cant wait to return!

I had an incredible dining experience at Madrina! The food was absolutely delicious, with every dish showcasing amazing flavors and presentation. What really stood out was the exceptional service Jake, James, and Ishann went above and beyond to make our evening special. They were attentive, knowledgeable, and made great recommendations. Their warm hospitality truly elevated the entire experience. If you re looking for a fantastic meal with outstanding service, Madrina is the place to go!

Michelin recommended restaurant in The Distillery caught our eye and we were interested in having a light lunch. Well that didn t happen. The tapas were wonderful, we could have sampled one of everything but we needed to go for Thanksgiving dinner.

Vibrant restaurant at the distillery, delicious tapas. Good vibes and nice service.

Food is a bit on the pricier side considering portion sizes. I get it, its tapas, and its pretty experimental with things like the el bulli olives. One of my standouts was their steak tartare on roasted bone marrow, very rich and tasty. Definitely a nice spot to check out, but eat somewhere else before arriving here so you dont burn a whole through your wallet trying to get full.

Pretty nice atmosphere and nice place to get a drink, but the tapas are beyond expensive. Expect to spend $40+ per person here for drink one tapa.

The service was excellent and presentation was beautiful. Very nice relaxing ambiance! We tried a number of different items on the menu, flavour wise was OK, I liked the medallion steaks and one thing I learned about myself... I do not like beef tartare on top of my bone marrow! It was an interesting try!

Wonderful place. Food was great, as was the service.

Excellent food, and possibly the best service Ive ever had in a restaurant. One of our party has celiac disease, and our waiter went above & beyond to make sure that person got safe food. Dietary restrictions: Many gluten-free (celiac) options. Our waiter was excellent and made sure we knew which dishes were safe and which were cross-contaminated.

Its been a long time since Ive been to the restaurant, but I went last weekend. The food is great and the tapas are at a good price (at least the vegan ones). They even made me a vegan sorbet which I also liked. And on top of that, the waiters are all nice, the service is always good although the atmosphere was very noisy.

Extremely overpriced. Especially considering you would have to pay $30 dollars just to get to the place during the almost 2 months of the Winter Village

Well, the waiter made his best efforts to introduce the restaurant to us. But, if someone really ignores Spains meals, then its going to be a mess. Its not the kind of food that impressed me by the presentation. But at least it is not that expensive. So, I think its worth the instagram photo of the dishes and the stories on Facebook.

A decent spot for spanish tapas. I wouldnt say it is best in the city, but the atmosphere is lovely and it is a great choice when visiting Distillery District.

Interesting? Service was mediocre. Incredibly overpriced. You will struggle as a vegetarian. Don t consider if celiac. They had multiple items listed on the menu as gluten free that actually weren t. Not one person in the place seemed to enjoy or finish a single dish which is impressive considering they are all single serving except for the tomato bread. Oddly huge gin list but they weren t good gins? Bottom shelf priced as top. I m not sure if the Michelin guide cred came from the raw eggs or the eggplant drenched in so much balsamic vinegar I couldn t tell it was eggplant at all and made both us sick to our stomachs. Idk just go to bar Isabel if you want a fire tapas place downtown that s priced reasonably and worth it lol Vegetarian options: DONT GO Dietary restrictions: JUST DONT GO

Must try restaurant at Distillary. I would personally recommend the tasting menu as best value for money deal even though it would be $93 dollar per person. The tapas concept is great after a evening stroll. The food is unique and good play on Spanish classics however the flavour does seem to hide behind the technique and presentation a bit. Consider its a michelling recommended restaurant the staff really needs to level up on wine pairing considering they have one of the best varities of Spanish Reds. That being said Great service and great experience. Food keeps you guessing and excited. Great date spot.

Seriously, DO NOT go/eat here. I had to cancel my reservation because I was running late and the lady on the phone did not mention that they would charge me at all. I would be an idiot to cancel if I knew since I literally cancelled to avoid the fee. After getting charged, I called the restaurant about it and the man on the phone was EXTREMELY condescending, rude, unhelpful, and would not bother to hear me out. Super greedy of them even though I cancelled at a reasonable hour before my reservation. They charged me $105!!! Is it not misleading if the staff tells me there will be no charge before I cancel, but they charge me anyway? So ridiculous. Disgusting policy and staff.

Awful customer service (the manager was contacted and unable to create a positive experience for our group)

they charged $105 for a cancellation fee when they said they wouldn t charge?

Management needs a lesson in customer service.

Great spot with a surprisingly good food and service

Amazing service. Food are so expensive but good tho.

Sat on the patio without a reservation, thoroughly enjoyed my meal, the stand out was the Iberico pork secreto steak and the service by Sergio. A fantastic evening and would highly recommend.

Good Tapas. Had the chicken and lettuce wrap and spinach roll thingy. Both were good. Bit over priced. Service was excellent.

Great food. Great cocktails. Great service. Music not to my taste. Very enjoyable experience.

As many others have pointed out, the restaurant itself is nicely designed, and good service -- but the menu is horribly overpriced, and the value for portion size is just not justifiable. Came here with 2 friends for a dinner. Our bill between 3 people was over $300, and we shared 1 main (Pork Secreto), a few appetizers, and only 2 cocktails (minimum $20 each). Two slices of Manchego cheese and a toastie was $28 (!!) -- photo attached, a classic staple of pan con tomate (toasted bread with crushed tomato) was $11, and they scam people into the Jamon by only offering an exceptionally aged 48-month jamon iberico, no other options like most tapas restaurants would. Simply put, its good, but its not worth the price - there are plenty of better options if you are craving spanish tapas elsewhere in the city.

Great food and drinks, good service (although a bit intense, they came like 50 times to ask us if everything was to our likings). Also, it is quite expensive for what it is.

Expensive tapas place. Good food!

The special gin drink created for my sister was fantastic. Tapas we had were good also

Great food but not that worth it for the price

Modern and creative cuisine. sincerely joking. sometimes surprising (the inedible sauce of the patatas bravas or the overly salty octopus dish). The menu is 93 CAD + Tax + service let s say minimum 120 CAD. Afterwards the menu is also interesting but be careful, the portions are minimalist and the prices high. It seems very difficult to eat here for less than 100 CAD per head. Finally, we know Spain very well and as a result a modern and revisited cuisine pleasantly surprised us, but otherwise if you are thinking of coming here to eat Madrid cuisine you are likely to be disappointed (besides us it is There was a Spanish table who were quite surprised by not finding any classic à la carte dishes. the setting is very pleasant but the service is between average and random. the neighborhood is super nice, don t hesitate to come a little earlier to walk around. Finally it is better to book but prepare to be harassed!!! a day before you are asked to confirm....30 min before you receive a text message saying your table is ready, come now (!!!) or send 1 if you are on the way!!!! In conclusion, if the price is OK for you (>100 CAD / head) and you are looking for modern and refined cuisine in a pleasant setting but are willing to be harassed by the restaurant and have very average service, dont hesitate .

Highly recommended, very professional and kind staff ( specially Carmen)

Really nice atmosphere and great food.

It s been my go to place for Spanish tapas. They offer tasty cocktails and friendly services. They also have pretty atmosphere with beautiful decorations! Food

Brilliant, the beef quesadilla was amazing as was the guacamole and chicken quesadillia and sandwich

A little pricey, but its worth it.

Worst experience of my life. If the neighborhood is really great, this restaurant/bar is only in front. overpriced dishes, $80 for 2 lukewarm, flat beers, a Ø5cm pdt pancake and 3 slices of chorizo at the limit of hardness. Even worse than the worst chorizo from a discount store. All this in a gloomy atmosphere, some customers had come with a photographer dedicated to taking photos of them with their dish, and he only had a glass of water in front of him, others took turns taking their dishes in photo, certainly to make an insta photo. Well limit, if the dishes were good.... but no! Its honestly not good, but it looks good in photos. We have not finished our beers , nor this food , which is inedible and undrinkable. Empty of interest for people who actually want to eat, and not take a photo of themselves in front of a $25 potato to show their Facebook friends. Fortunately the taste cannot be shared in photos!

Overall experience was very good, but to be honest, not as good as I expected. Service was good but long waiting time because they are very busy. The food looks great, and the description in the menu sets you up for something amazing, but its a gamble... Some of the tapas we ordered were absolutely amazing (we tried 10 different tapas). Some were mediocre at best. Pricewise, some dishes were well worth it, but others were way too ordinary for the price. Taste complexity really doesnt correlate to the price. Drinks were quite good as well, wine is all Spanish, you should definitely try a couple. Desserts were amazing! Overall, it was a great experience, but in my case, I think the company was what made it great.

The style of the restaurant is Spanish tapas and small plates; however be prepared to spend since the plates are really small. We tried couple of their menu items and the octopus was the star.

Best tapas bar Ive ever visited. Wonderful dishes too. Real sangria, with a whole bottle of wine! Memorable

Great food, and Kai our server was knowledgeable and attentive throughout our dinner. Their aged Jamon & truffled egg yolk was my favs - don t miss out and order some. Date night worthy and would even recommend trying their mocktails!

Amazing food and atmosphere! The service was amazing. Its definitely a must try!

Starting with the service: hosts provided first class and high standard services. Helping and explaining the menu, suggestions and modifications. Atmosphere: great location, lovely design, welcoming and warm. Food: high quality ingredients, absolutely solid menu and simply delicious dishes. Wine pairing is key which they provide a wide range of options to pair every single dish. Will repeat

Love the tapas and white wine selection

Service was completely TERRIBLE, we waited over for an hour to get our food served and the server never came back after she took our order, we never got our drinks refilled or asked even asked if we needed anything. We had to ask someone else to even get out bill. WOULD NEVER COME BACK

It was really a disappointment to have gone during my husbands birthday. It took them about 15 minutes to serve us and they didnt tell us that the water they offered was extra. The biggest disappointment is the price, quality and size ratio. The portions are extremely small with exorbitant prices that most likely must be covered to maintain their Michelin star, which I dont understand why they have it, because although the food was not bad, it is not an experience that lives up to that award either. Reviewing previous comments, we see that the manager copies and pastes the same response but no substantial change is seen regarding the same complaints that are constantly seen in the comments. We saw a negative comment a year ago about the octopus, which was the same dish we ordered, where the manager promised to review the portion size, however, to our regret, we realize that they have deliberately ignored it. to the comments. In conclusion, I do not recommend it, nor would I return to that site.

A really bad decision and a really bad restaurant. I went there with my wife to celebrate my birthday, thinking that this place was going to be exciting and innovative and oh boy! I was wrong. The restaurant is very small with a capacity of 20 tables placed in a very tight space. One would imagine that for a Michelin star restaurant, the furniture and the seats would be something really over the top with elegance and comfortable, but they were like your regular bar with some semi-comfortable seats. Once we were seated, the waitress offered some water that we werent advised it was going to be added to the bill. After that, it took her around 15 minutes to check back on us and take our order. I know that tapas are small but I think that it is quite misleading that they have a different section called platillos but they will have them presented with the size of a tapa. In that case just put it with the rest of the tapas. The taste was good but not Michelin star good and the overpriced prices are not worth for the size nor the lack of creativity and innovation you wouldve expect, again, from a Michelin star restaurant. I dont recommend it and I dont pretend to come back unless they do something (innovation, price, portion size) but I fear, based on the different comments other customers have made and the canned and empty response the manager has given to all of them, this place will not change in the foreseeable future.

The food was quite tasty. The atmosphere was fun - whats not to love about the distillery district. BUT, the service was awful. I am not one to be turned off by service, but this time, it was a game changer but in the wrong way. Our sever never had a clue what was served to us and what wasnt, at one point asked if we wanted our bill but we hadnt been served main dishes nor even asked if we wanted desert! Maybe one bad apple server, or one bad night for the staff? Maybe, but we wont be going back. Too many other great restaurants to try!

Yummmm had a pleasant time here tonight!

I write this review after having tried for a few business days to discuss with management my experiences. Sadly, they have not responded back and have ignored me. I have done tasting menus around the globe and this is by far the worst I have experienced. I will list the five major issues: 1) My partner was served fresh parsley after he told them he is allergic. The waiter went to ask if it was parsley as he did not know after serving a course on the tasting menu and confirmed that it was parsley but said it was cooked (it was not). He had an allergic mild allergic reaction. We told the waiter this at the beginning of our experience. 2) A mouse was found inside running across the dinning room floor when walking to the washroom 3) We reserved a table online and when we arrived were asked if we wanted inside or outside. We picked outside as it was a nice day. We say for well over 20 minutes and no one came to our table (industry standard is to be at a table in 2 minutes for water or drinks). We had to go inside and they told us outside is only for drinks at this area (which they never told us and had to be moved). We again waited well over 10 minutes 4) We selected the tasting menu with wine paring. The first meal was placed on our table without any explanation of what we were eating. Yes, it was listed on the menu but I never had a boule aux olives before and would have liked to know what I was eating and some information. 5) We then were served wine with the first course about 10 minutes after the course started. This continued for every course. The first wine was, This is your first wine. This was not on the menu and I needed to call over a waiter to ask him the country, year, and varietal. He did not know and needed to ask someone else. This is not in regard to the quality of the food. It was okay but does not excuse these major issues. In addition, since this restaurant refuses to discuss any feedback, I think it is necessary that they are held accountable for a terrible food experience for a bill close to $1000. I would not recommend this place. Go to Quetzal, Alo, Bar Isabel...any other wonderful establishments, but avoid this dive at all costs.

The atmosphere for a Michellin restaurant is on point. Customer service is outstanding (the best part). I had high expectations for this restaurant but unfortunately the food was a failure. If you have lived, travel to spain, or have eat real comida mediterránea you will understand this review. Food was a bit disappointing. Papas bravas will be something I will definitely not order again, it does need to be more spicy and better season. The alioli needs more garlic and the pimiento paste needs to improved. The shrimp croquetas was the highlight of the entire meal. The chorizo iberico is a great selection and addition to their menu. The tortilla de patatas definitely needs help, the quality you can find in any other restaurant, nothing special. We also order the white sangria and was tasty but it needs more brandy. Hope you do enjoy your experience at this restaurant. Until next restaurant review.

My daughter had been to Madrina Bar y Tapas previously and wanted me to experience it. The food was so tasty and the service was excellent. I would definitely recommend it.

We have 2 hrs waiting for food, and the size are very miserable

The dish was supposed to be an individual serving; however, it seems more like an appetizer. The octopus was burnt, tough, and fishy, served on a bed of cooked potato. The entire portion was about the size of my palm but priced like a main course. The issue is not the cost of the dish but the quality of the food. Its a nice place but I will not comeback. Ive been to better places.

Very good service, we ordered a drink called Abejita which is a very delicious non-alcoholic cocktail. The patatas bravas lacked flavor The paella is for 1-2 people, is good but nothing special. The Iberian chorizo was the best but they could included accompaniment to make it better. In my opinion, they have high prices and the food wasn t as good than I expected

really bad, the food is terrible

The food is good. Its pricey for how small the portions are, but thats expected for a fine dining restaurant. I came back a second time to try the paella, but was a little disappointed. It was still good, but I had high expectations and it was not worth the almost $50 I paid after tax and tip. The patio seems nice, but I wouldnt recommend sitting inside on a busy day. If you sit at the high tops theres hardly enough room to get in/out of your chair, and it was way too hot in there

Ate here with my boyfriend on Wednesday night. Our server/bartender Celeste was very informative. She directed us to numerous tapas that were each more delicious than the last. Along with the food she made some of the best cocktails we ve had in a long time even modifying some to match our specific tastes. She was very informative answering all of questions and making sure I felt comfortable with my shellfish allergy. We asked about other places to see during our time visiting Toronto and she was spot on with each suggestion, even taking the time to write things down for us. I don t typically write reviews but the experience Celeste gave us along with the amazing tapas was the best we d had all trip and honestly in a while. Definitely worth a stop if you re in the Distillery District! I know we ll be back if we re ever in the area again.

Food was good not memorable, nothing stood out. We find it too overly priced probably because its downtown Toronto and its situated at the Distillery district. The place looks chic and upscale and caters to younger crowds. Service is laid back and a bit meh. Would prefer to go somewhere else for a tapa style experience.

We tried the tasting menu. The food was terrible. It was $93 per person. Too salty and barely had any meat or seafood. The service was awful. We had a reservation at 4pm and they open at 4pm. As we walked into the restaurant at 4, this female staff wearing white T-shirt at the patio yelled at us aggressively we re not open yet! We had to ask the staff to fill up our water. They didn t check on us even once. I would not recommend this place.

Amazing restaurant with future menu and unusual food. Warm atmosphere, delicious food. They deserve their Michelin star!

The place is overall good, but the dish size is overpriced for what you get.

Amazing experience although on the pricier side. The tartare was outstanding.

Typical Spanish dishes that take us on a journey! I loved the tapas served there. The server was very friendly and knowledgeable. He was able to advise us on making the right choice of dishes.

I visited this place for the first time two years ago, and it s still amazing. Some of my favorite dishes have changed a bit, but that s okay. Here s a photo of the paella dish and steak tartare from my first visit two years ago.

Best Ive had outside Barcelona.

Food was good but nothing special. I will have to admit it is a tourist trap not something you would come back too especially at those prices. The thing that got us ticked was actually the soda refill being charged full price. They even take your glass to refill it and not get you a new one. Kind of takes nickel and dime to a new level when you have paid $$$ per person.

The place is very nice and in a great location. Service was great, drinks are pretty good but a Tinto de verano is definitely needed in the menu. Food is just ok, nothing wow. Shrimp croquetas were nice, Paella lacks flavor, the anchovies boquerones matrimonio is way too small in general portions are very small for the hefty-prices.

Delicious food. Had a great time.

When you heard Tapas and Michelin Star, is impossible to don t get excited.. but I have to say that the food was very disappointing. I wouldn t recommend this place unfortunately, the service is ok; although, I think the manager didn t appreciate a sincere review about their food . Definitely beautiful place, but food no so good .

Way overpriced for the quality. Small portions, prepared in advance, dry. Clams in paella very dry.

You need to work on your bread guys, bread is everything.

We had visitors from London UK and we were so excited to take them to Madrina because it s our favorite tapas place but unfortunately we were forced to have the chefs menu because we are 12 people! it was the worst experience all around, most of the dishes were not to anyone s liking and the waiters didn t know how to explain anything about the dishes served, over all the experience was disappointing we had to apologise to our guests. Madrina will always be one of our favorite places in the distillery district but we will never take a big group of people there it is not worth jt at all.

Be prepared to drop some cash at this place... but its worth it! The dishes are tapas- small rather than main size. So delicious. Food and drinks were yummy. Staff is attentive to requests; accommodating, friendly and knowledgable. The patio was a dream- you can look out into the Distillery District. Very romantic vibe.

Incredible food and location if you re looking for an experience where cost is less important than experience. It was not inexpensive, but honestly, it was well worth it!

Beautifully located refined tapas bar. Cocktails are exquisite. Tapas are upscaled versions of the originals, with fresh, high quality ingredients. Service unfortunately is a downscaled mess compared to the fine-dining the food is aiming for: disorganized, arguing staff, ordering a sprite and getting a soda, long, inconsistent waiting times too far away from what tapas are: quick bar food. Still some work to do in this area to reach the Michelin bar it s showcasing, but an interesting visit. Kid-friendliness: Separate kids menu, and generally friendly for kids: offered crayons and some coloring paper

The after meal wine was the only delicious thing, however the waiter never got back to us about the wine brand

Fun tapas restaurant in the distillery district. We came on a weekday evening and were able to get an outdoor table with no reservation. Out of the items we ordered the paella was my favorite, had great seafood flavour. I enjoyed the smoky flavour in the octopus but the tuna cones were a bit rich with the aioli and tuna. We found it a bit pricey for the portion sizes but worth the visit if youre in the area on a nice day out. Service and restaurant atmosphere was excellent.

The manager Michelle was confused why I might ask for a drink comp to cover drycleaning after having liquid chocolate spilled across my pants (mistakenly) by one of the staff. I get it, mistakes happen. However, rude gestering is surprising after spending $900+ at the table. Wont be returning. Michelle should not manage a restaurant. Cheers!

The best tapas I have ever eaten in my life, the people around me also really enjoyed it. nice atmosphere with nice wall decorations and music. The staff were noticeably friendly and competent, and the food also came quickly. The only criticisms were the lack of free Spanish water and the rather high price if you wanted to be full. Nevertheless, an absolute recommendation for the palate

Oxtail buns were excellent. Tapas menu did not look anything special. The one I had had erpowering vinegar taste- I could not feel any declared ingredients unfortunately. We were happy with service.

Expensive place to eat or drink But the drinks are great... La bonita is the best drink ever... They have large selection of Gin ... Food

Even though it was empty, we tried to enter two times. The first time we failed because there was no staff and we were ignored. Second time, still empty but we managed to get seated. The server was really rude from the beginning, her tone was weird and she was in a rush to chit-chat to her coworkers. When I paid, I left a small tip because of the bad service and she snatch the POS from me and left. I feel I could expect a better service from a restaurant with a Michelin star.

Patatas bravas terrible and lettuce wraps as well and very expensive for the size and quality $30.

Got the tasting menu, excellent choice when you dont know what to choose. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful. Very good service from the team.

Overpriced, small quantities, and the quality of the food is not high enough to make up the disparity. This place is good, but not great, and the prices and small quantities were the final nail in the coffin for me. Will not return.

One of my favourite restaurants in the city. Then octopus was my favourite dish.

I can honestly say this was one of the worst restaurants I have been to in Toronto. We had to wait 25 minutes to be seated and then another 20 minutes for someone to take our order. The food was horrendous. Our waiter was lovely but the overall service was terrible.

The food was so good that I didn t think about pictures, the atmosphere is like being in Spain, we absolutely love everything, our server was Kai, born and raised in Spain Wich made our stay completely perfect!!! We will definitely come back

Very nice place, beautiful design. Food Divine. Great Service, Attentive, knowledgeable. For my taste menu missing some beef choices I gave 5 stars, but I think a bit pricy

Place was salty, we ordered a bunch of things and the only 1 I liked was the shrimp croquette, very tasty. Quality produces but a huge miss in taste, great presentation tho.

Impeccable service and food was very interesting. Innovative take on classic Spanish tapas - very wide variety to choose from, and lots of vegetarian/vegan/GF options. Desserts were also a standout. The decoration inside and on the patio are very polished and cozy, the kind if place you can sit at for hours. Pricey but that s what you get in the area!

BEST experience I have had in many years. Tapas were absolutely out of this world delicious, Chef Carter is an amazing talent! From the moment we walked in until the moment we walked out we were made to feel so very special. Cant even pick a favorite dish as my tastebuds were nothing but happy. Will be back!!!!

Amazing restaurant. Located in a beautiful spot. Food is great. One of the best Spanish restaurants in Canada. I highly recommend queso manchego, oxtail buns, and octopus. Sangria also was great.

Wonderful experience dining at the restaurant, perfect ambience, drinks and tapas. Highly recommended

Great time, good tapas and lovely service.

Chose Madrina to celebrate my birthday and had a very bad experience. I made a reservation for 7 but a friend surprised me and they refused to bring an extra chair to our table. We were invited to move to the outside area even though it was super windy due to a tornado warning. Things started flying from our table and getting inside our glasses, minutes later they accommodated us back inside to the same table with an extra chair (how ridiculous can that be), they could have avoided the uncomfortable situation they put my friend in to the point that he wanted to leave. Food is ridiculously expensive for what they offer and did not meet my expectations AT All, big disappointment if you re familiar with Spanish food - drinks are also pricey, service was uncomfortably rushy picking up orders but super slow to bring a simple beer, it s definitely not fair to pay 18% gratitude out of your almost $700 dollar bill when a very poor service was provided. Overall, the whole experience was FAR AWAY from the experiences I ve had at Michellin rated restaurants in different parts of the world. I left the restaurant asking myself how did the Michelin guide even considered Madrina. Today I took a quick look at their reviews and I was shocked with the large number of bad ones they have from unhappy guests, they all report the same concerns and it seems like Madrina does not take them into account. I wouldn t have chosen Madrina to celebrate my big day if I had read those reviews before.

This place strongly motivates me to plan a trip to Spain. I should try paella from a Spanish local restaurant, as Michelin hype doesn t satisfy me at all. Gin flights paired with mushroom toast are a must, but please don t order anything else. The service is very attentive, and there s a dog-friendly patio.

Super pleasant atmosphere, and impeccable service from Kai. The atmosphere of the Distillary District is super romantic.

Food is good. Service is good. Atmosphere is fun and has a nice buzz.

Food and service was awesome, we were given some great complimentary sherry tasters with our bill and they even accommodated a guest with us who didn t drink alcohol with a mocktail version, without us even asking for one. Above and beyond service. Highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Had a wonderful night in Madrina Bar. Food and sweets are very good, especially the cheesecake. I LOVE THE SANGRIA !!

Weve been to Madrina a few times now, and all of our experiences have been great! The food, the music, the decor and the service are all great! Go give them a try, you wont be disappointed. And make sure to try the special Gran Reserva Jamon with the crispy bread, its out of this world, and you wont have many opportunities to try this around the city. And I would be remiss if I didnt shout the awesome white Sangria, very tasty! Dont miss Madrina!!

What a delightful find! While we dont usually allow it, the food was so amazing that she licked the plate. Wonderful, gastetronomical food! The staff completed the experience, with their hospitality and attention to every detail we will be back! Not sure what to order, go with the servers recommendations! Dietary restrictions: Did an amazing job dealing with a very difficult food allergy.

We recently dined at Martina, where our server, Sergio, provided exceptional service. The food was beyond delicious; every dish we ordered was superb, worthy of a chefs kiss. Sergios attentiveness and precision in serving were remarkable, and his dedication to his job was evident in the meticulous notes he took. Overall, a fantastic dining experience thanks to Sergio and the delightful food at Martina.

Loved the tapas, everything we had was excellent. No tables so we sat at the bar seats. Slow service, however our server was really helpful, courteous and knowledgeable.

Food is great. Service is great.

Delicious and flavourful tapas in a cute rustic restaurant

We went when the restaurant was empty, the hostess never turned to see us, until we went ourselves to ask for the menu, she gave us the menu and turned back to look at her cell phone.

Amazing use of the space, making you feel like youre in an upscale cellar. The food varied from very good to incredible. If you want the tuna tartare (which is so high quality) get the cones over the potato salad. The sliced chorizo is maybe the best sausage I have had in my life, tender, lightly smoked, flavourful. The drinks are also excellent. And the wait staff are attentive, friendly, and happy to give advice.

For a Michelin star restaurant I was expecting a much better tasting experience. The plates were insanely small. The scallop dish, for example is one single scallop. Very hard to share plates this way. The flavors were there but for 20-30CAD was expecting atleast medium sized portions, not bite size. The sangria and the desserts were really great though. I would recommend coming for a drinks post dinner. The ambience and atmosphere is great. Slow service however.

Really nice restaurant located in the Distillery District. A Michelin certified restaurant that leaves nothing short from an amazing experience. All drinks and foods are made with the greatest possible care. I suggest going with a group and sharing several tapas. The gin and tonic with spicy bold flavor is one of the best drinks that I had in my life. Will definitely be returning there!

Went here for a friend s bday! There was a large number of us so we had to do prefix menu. First three course were good but the rest were very disappointing specially the paella for $200 per person ( including drinks) was really expecting more but this is Toronto for you

Our experience at Madrina was spectacular! Apart from the ambience being soothing and tranquil, the gastronomical journey was divine. Each tapas and dish is well thought out and contained rich and explosive flavour. They possess a copious wine list and if you re uncertain, the sommelier is knowledgeable, affable and can willingly recommend a wine to pair nicely with your food. Our waiter (Ismit?) was fantastic. He possessed veritable experience and knowledge with every dish and his recommendations were very precise. One of the best tapas restaurants we ve been to, and I mean globally.

The tapas, drinks and desserts here are decent.

The food here tasted quite good, but the service was poor. We got seated and then were not attended to by a server for 15 minutes, not even to ask if we wanted drinks or water. I had to catch the attention of one of the servers before someone came over. We got 5 dishes, all of which were very small. They re tapas, so it s expected, but just be aware you ll need to order quite a bit to fill up. The mushrooms and truffle were delicious, as were the shrimp croquetas. The salchicon (sausage) was a total scam. It was $18, and it was literally just sliced deli sausage (see pic below). Not worth that price at all. The chicken lettuce wraps were good but you eat one in like 2 bites.

It is a nice restaurant if you want to try food from Spain with a twist. The service was very attentive and the food was really good. The cocktails were a good surprise. The music is a bit loud but the restaurant is cute.

Had multiple tapas at the place with a small group. We ordered around 10+ different items. It was quite tasty overall but pricy as it is in the distillery district. It was a weeknight was quite almost empty except for a few tables. The service was good but the waiter spoke too quickly to explain the dishes. The owner or maître d visited us during our meal and offered us a dessert wine on the house which was pleasant. Overall, it was a good experience and great presentation but typical of tapas, I wished the portions were a tad bigger.

I had high expectations for the food, but I left this restaurant disappointed. The oxtail buns were unsalted, and the tuna tartare cone was interesting to see, but just okay. If you enjoy good wine, you might like this place, but the food in general is insipid.

Amazing food and service. Great experience!

The manchego cheesecake is unforgettable! Oysters with bloody mary tasted fresh.

My wife and I came with friends for a few drinks and coffee. Service was excellent and loved the atmosphere!

Ok. Over the top good. The staff are fantastic which tells me that the management is superior. A must visit experience. Superior cuisine.

Nicely designed interior with similarly beautifully designed plates. Thr food is too special albeit on the smaller portio. Side and on the more expensive side too. However, the food alone is worth the visit.

Second visit Nov 2023: Lavender Earl Grey Martini Tuna Tartare Cones Mushrooms & Truffle Truffle Egg Yolk Jamon Joselito, Gran Reserva 48 months Iberico Pork Secreto Steak Oxtail Buns Patatas Bravas Madrina Like A Millefeuille Chorizo Iberico De Bellota Steak Tartare with Foie Gras Vieira Gratinada Tried more other items on the menu for my birthday this time ! Our server was amazing and the food was amazing, definitely deserving of the Michelin star ---- First visit: I was surprised by this restaurant as I thought being in the Distillery it would be a bit more touristy but was actually quite authentic! We ordered: Razor Clams with Mojo Rojo Iberico Ham Croquetas Truffle Egg Yolk Rusa Potato Salad with Tuna Tartare Steak Tartare on Roasted Marrow Bone Grilled Octopus Favourites were the rusa Potato Salad and tartare on marrow! Loved the flavour profiles of both. Croquetas were pretty good- cripsy on the outside and soft inside. Octopus had an awesome smokey flavour and cool presentation but other than that nothing special about the Octopus or Hummus. Razor clams were actually dry and overcooked and was the least liked. Overall would return for a nice cocktail selection and to try other menu items!

The decor, host, and location are great. We went with three kids. There were little white/black small circular things in my son s mango juice. When I went to the bar to let the waitress know, she looked in and immediately said they are garnishes from the bar and threw out the juice. She gave us a new glass of juice. They didn t look like garnishes. I m still disgusted. Overall, our service was mediocre at best and the food was fine. Unfortunate because I d been looking forward to visiting this restaurant for a while.

Cute and perfect place for a romantic encounter. Dishes especially made for sharing.

Amazing food and awesome service!

A great place for both tourists or locals to have some drinks and small things~

Amazing service and attention. Location is lovely, specially over Christmas with the village. The food is not for everyone s taste, we were looking for something more Spanish traditional, although it was good, it wasn t the taste we were expecting. Food

Madrina captivates from the moment you enter, with its warm ambiance and outstanding service setting the stage for a memorable experience. The highlight is undoubtedly the cocktail menu, especially the Dos Mares, a concoction that promises to impress. With a selection of beautifully crafted tapas perfect for sharing, its the ideal spot for a romantic date night or a fun pre-theater meal.

This place has been on my list for a while. One Saturday afternoon, we casually dropped by and ended up sitting at the bar. They serve tapas-style plates, focusing more on the food experience than getting full. However, the drinks are generous. I ordered sangria in a surprisingly large wine glass, making me question if I should be happy about its size. As for the food, we tried scallops and octopus. The scallops were soft and flavorful definitely worth a try. Unfortunately, the octopus was dense and chewy. Regarding the drinks, the sangria was disappointing large but lacking in taste. The first waiter assured me it only contained fresh fruit juices, but after the first sip, I detected a carbonated sugar taste. When I asked again, our waiter admitted there was also Sprite in it. They did replace it upon my request. Additionally, they charge for still water, which is unusual in Canada. Our second drink was gin tonic and it was delicious, I recommend it!

The food was great, but Id caution parents with babies as theres no changing table. Despite explaining that I could manage to change my baby without it, the server directed us to the public restroom, which wasnt ideal in winter. Thankfully, the manager intervened, providing us with a space. Valuable insight for fellow moms; finding baby-friendly places can be challenging.

Extremely expensive and the flavors were not there. Im obsessed with secreto Iberico and once I saw it on the menu I knew I had to order it. But what came was not even the right cut. There was no marbling, it was thin and all lean and most probably was just a cheap pork loin cut pretending to be the real thing. This was extremely disappointed especially considering the ridiculous price point (high $30s). We also ordered the octopus (just ok) and beef tartare (really no foie gras to speak of and it tasted sour). This restaurant is a hard pass.

We had a wonderful night here! Our server was attentive, fun and knowledgeable. The drinks were fantastic. If you are into tapas, this is a super spot!

I made a reservation one day in advance and it opened at 2Pm. I thought there would be a lot of customers, but it was unexpectedly empty. Plus we only had two tables. Suitable for trying different styles of bars and restaurants, couples dating, etc. The food portion is a bit small for those with children. The Spanish paella was average in portion size and taste.

Had a high expectation towards this place before going for a date there. Atmosphere is comfy and unique giving the 90s vibe. But the food and service are very mediocre. Food are on the salty side. We drank the whole bottle of water after dinner. lol Some outstanding dishes to recommend: tuna tartare cones: a bit salty. But the flavor is very unique - fresh tuna companioned with creamy sauce shrimp croquets: creamy and savoury! Love the kimchi sauce! - Paella and octopus with mashed potatoes are OKAY. Both are on the salty side. truffle toast: there is absolutely NO truffle flavour. The toast is refreshing and light tho. But why called it truffle if you didn t add any? pork steak: Don t order this! Pork meat is very dry. The grilled eggplant underneath is very bitter.

Disappointing! My wife took me here for the Valentines Tasting menu special. It was extremely disappointing. Maybe two or three tapas at the most were good, one of them she didn t even finish because it was so bland. I m not sure if their menu items are better, but we won t be going back try. On a positive note when we told them that we didn t like some of the food, they substituted another off the menu item, which was mildly better. But at least they tried.

We were very excited to try this restaurant which is listed in the Michelin guide, however we were very disappointed. Sadly the Michelin guide has failed here. We did the Valentines Day 7 course tasting menu which was overall lack-luster for $125 each. I have had many tasting menus at other restaurants, and this was the first time I left hungry. The portions were very small. I realize this is a tapas restaurant, but if that is the case, you still need to provide enough food on a tasting menu to make someone feel full. Had the portions been doubled (eg. we were often served 2 items, 1 for each person...for example, one piece of toast with crab on top per person), that would have been better, or had more courses been provided, that also would have sufficed. The bulk of the meal were these very small plates, with one larger main which was labeled as a paella, which was absolutely not a paella. It was a small flank steak served over a bed of chopped up pasta. Overall the flavours were very bland on most plates; salmon crudo was 4 slices of salmon with average seasoning, the foie gras yogurt was flavourless with far too much air, with a crumble on top which did not work at all, and the dessert was terrible. The service was a bit on the slow side, but it was a busy night. The atmosphere was overall good, and the space is a neat combo of industrial-chic. If you are looking for a Spanish tapas place, there are so much better options in the city like Bar Isabel, Patria and Bar Chica. We wont be returning here.

So many unique tapas / shareables but the lettuce chicken wraps and the crab with the thinnest layer of avacados are standouts

Absolutely gorgeous spot and the drinks were delicious! Will definitely have to come back to try the food, it looked phenomenal!

We celebrated my birthday at La Madrina over the weekend, and had great food, good times and exceptional service. We had a mishap with my birthday cake, and the manager went above and beyond to rectify it. I used to work in the hospitality industry, and I have never experienced such incredible customer care. Truly, she blew us out of the water and we ll be back! The croquetas, tuna tar tar and mánchelo cheesecake were exceptional! A must try.