El Lince
Modern Spanish · Nueva Espana, Madrid
Restaurant in Madrid, Spain
Book with PearlThe Read
Residential-District Modern Spanish
Chef
Javi Estévez
Dress
Casual
Why go
El Lince is worth booking if you want chef-led Modern Spanish cooking in Chamartín without the ceremony of Madrid's more formal destination rooms. It is a stronger fit for curious diners than for visitors chasing a single grand-occasion meal, it makes sense when location and ease matter as much as culinary ambition.
About El Lince
Should you book El Lince in Madrid? Yes, if the plan is Modern Spanish cooking from Javi Estévez. Madrid has many dining rooms with different levels of formality, but El Lince is best framed simply: a Madrid restaurant with Modern Spanish cuisine, casual dress, service hours that cover lunch and dinner on most days.
The right expectation is important: this is not the same kind of choice as other Madrid dining rooms such as Corral de la Morería or A'Barra Restaurante y Barra Gastronómica. It makes more sense for a diner who wants a chef-led Modern Spanish meal in Madrid, where the appeal is the cooking rather than a particular format, price point, or menu structure.
Choose it for chef-led Modern Spanish in Madrid
Javi Estévez gives El Lince a clearer reason to consider than location alone. The cuisine is Modern Spanish, so the main question is whether that is the style of meal you want in Madrid. If so, El Lince belongs on the shortlist alongside other dining options with different personalities.
Use the basics to plan around it: the restaurant is in Madrid, the dress code is casual, the published hours include lunch and dinner service Monday through Thursday, service from 1:30 PM to 12 AM on Friday and Saturday, lunch service on Sunday. If the priority is a broader city shortlist, start with our full Madrid restaurants guide, then use El Lince as the Modern Spanish option when its hours and style fit the route.
Plan around the basics
Approach El Lince food first rather than booking it for a specific cellar, pairing program, or signature drinks focus. Do not book it on the basis of an assumed beverage program. For travelers comparing different kinds of Spanish dining, Marques de Riscal Restaurant is a separate point of reference; El Lince is the Madrid fit when Modern Spanish cooking from Javi Estévez is the reason to go.
For a city stay, pair this meal with the rest of the trip rather than treating a secondary detail as the hook. Travelers can cross-check hotels through our full Madrid hotels guide and use the restaurant guide for other Madrid dining ideas. Broader comparisons to consider by style include Corral de la Morería, A'Barra Restaurante y Barra Gastronómica, Haroma, Restaurante Montia, Marques de Riscal Restaurant.
Planning details
- Location
- Calle del Príncipe de Vergara, 289, Chamartín, 28016 Madrid, Spain
- Website
- ellincerestaurante.com
- Phone
- +34 911 37 26 58
The take
The Take
The Vibe
El Lince reads as a modern, measured example of contemporary Spanish cooking in Chamartín. The room favors technique without spectacle: chef-led but accessible, it settles into a middle tier of restaurants that prize ingredients and pacing over theatrical tasting-menu moments. The tone is calm and focused rather than flashy — courses arrive with room for conversation and for wine to open up — so the overall impression is modern and quietly sophisticated, well suited to neighbourhood diners and serious eaters who prefer clarity of flavour and a relaxed, considered meal.
Best For
This is a neighbourhood restaurant built around everyday lunch and dinner service rather than special-occasion theatre. The write-up explicitly highlights Madrid’s tradition of long, unhurried lunches and notes that El Lince treats both lunch and dinner as a daily practice; that makes it a strong pick for midweek meals, family dinners, group outings and anyone seeking a composed, conversation-friendly evening. Regulars and food-minded locals who want thoughtfully executed Spanish cooking without Michelin-level formality are the clearest fit.
Ordering Tips
Allow the meal to unfold at its own pace: the kitchen spaces courses so wine can breathe and flavours can register, so avoid rushing between dishes. Lean into the chef-driven, ingredient-led menu and sample a few items rather than expecting a single showpiece—this is a place where combinations and pacing matter. Given the venue’s signature items, consider ordering a selection that highlights the house approach (for example, the pork and offal preparations listed among the signatures) and settle in for a relaxed, multi-course experience.
Venue details
Ambiance
Simple modern decor with a tavern atmosphere, featuring a bar at the entrance with high tables and multiple intimate dining lounges that feel cozy and welcoming.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Small
Signature Dishes
- Lamb sweetbreads al ajillo
- Pig's ear with brava and lime
- Stewed tripe with trotters and snout
- Cecina croquette
- Pork cheek brioche
Planning details
Location
Calle del Príncipe de Vergara, 289, Chamartín, 28016 Madrid, Spain · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- A'Barra Restaurante y Barra Gastronómica, Modern Spanish, Modern Spanish
- Haroma, Modern Spanish, Modern Spanish
- Corral de la Morería, Modern Spanish, €€€
- Restaurante Montia, Modern Spanish, Modern Spanish
- Marques de Riscal Restaurant, Modern Spanish, €€€€
Restaurant context
How El Lince compares in Madrid
Choose El Lince when Chamartín is convenient and the brief is Modern Spanish cooking with less reservation pressure. A'Barra Restaurante y Barra Gastronómica is the better fit for a more formal gastronomic experience, while Haroma is the easier cross-shop if location in Madrid matters more than the Chamartín address.
For occasion value, Corral de la Morería gives a clearer sense of theatre and lists as €€€, so it suits visitors who want the night to feel like a full Madrid event. El Lince is the more food-focused choice for diners who want Modern Spanish cooking without making ambiance the main reason to go.
Restaurante Montia is the peer to consider for another Modern Spanish meal in the Madrid orbit, while Marques de Riscal Restaurant is the splurge-oriented, out-of-metro option at €€€€. Pick Marques de Riscal when wine-country context and budget are part of the plan; pick El Lince when staying in Madrid and wanting a lower-friction booking.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full El Lince guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare El Lince
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Lince | Madrid | Modern Spanish | 2026 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended2025 OAD Casual in Europe Ranked · #811 | ; |
| A'Barra Restaurante y Barra Gastronómica | Madrid | Modern Spanish | No published awards | ; |
| Haroma | Madrid | Modern Spanish | 2026 Relais Chateaux Restaurants2025 Relais Chateaux Award | ; |
| Corral de la Morería | Madrid | Modern Spanish | Guía Repsol Soles 20262026 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Recommended2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Michelin 1 Star2025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #5742025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Michelin 1 Star2024 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #3682024 Michelin 1 Star | €€€ |
| Restaurante Montia | Madrid | Modern Spanish | 2026 Michelin 1 Star2025 Michelin 1 Star2024 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #434 | ; |
| Marques de Riscal Restaurant | Logroño | Modern Spanish | 2026 Michelin Plate2025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #4692025 Michelin Plate2024 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #4012024 Michelin Plate2023 OAD Top New Restaurants in Europe Recommended | €€€€ |
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How El Lince Madrid compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at El Lince?
If bar seating matters, check directly before booking. Plan around the basics: it is a Modern Spanish restaurant in Madrid from Javi Estévez, with casual dress and published service hours across the week.
What should a first-timer know about El Lince?
Start here if you want Modern Spanish cooking in Madrid from Javi Estévez. Recognition includes Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe Recommended for 2026 and a #811 ranking in the same OAD Casual in Europe category for 2025.
Is lunch or dinner better at El Lince?
Both can work, depending on the day. El Lince lists lunch and dinner hours Monday through Thursday, service from 1:30 PM to 12 AM on Friday and Saturday, lunch hours on Sunday. Check the current schedule before booking.
What should I wear to El Lince?
The dress code is casual. Neat, relaxed city wear is a safe fit for a Modern Spanish meal in Madrid.
What are alternatives to El Lince in Madrid?
For Madrid comparisons, A'Barra Restaurante y Barra Gastronómica, Corral de la Morería, Haroma offer different options to consider. Restaurante Montia and Marques de Riscal Restaurant are broader Spain comparisons rather than simply more Madrid choices.
Is El Lince good for a special occasion?
It may fit if the occasion calls for Modern Spanish cooking in a casual setting. The clearest hooks are Javi Estévez, the Madrid location, the Modern Spanish cuisine, the OAD Casual in Europe recognition.
