Inari

Inari’s service times are the first thing to plan around: Sunday is closed, the room’s calm, minimalist look makes more sense for a deliberate sushi-and-izakaya meal than for an improvised group plan. The verdict is positive if the brief is polished Japanese cooking in Madrid with enough range for a repeat visit.

Inari works because it does not force a single narrow order. A regular who has already done the obvious sushi order should use the next visit to widen the table: start with house gyozas or assorted tempuras, add a round of special maki, then bring in wagyu beef bao if the group wants something richer. The sushi bar angle matters for anyone prioritising nigiri and tartares; the izakaya side matters for mixed orders that do not need to become a strict omakase-style evening.

Choose the room for sushi and izakaya

The dining room is part of the value. The visual cue is restrained rather than showy: warm Japanese-style minimalism, a calm Madrid setting, an upscale-casual feel. That matters because the strongest order here is not only about what arrives on the plate. Sushi, tartares and nigiri are best approached as part of the full dining-room experience, while bao, gyozas and tempura broaden the meal beyond raw fish.

For planning, the decision is direct. Inari works when the meal is built around modern Japanese izakaya cooking and sushi, especially for diners who want a comfortable, intimate room rather than a highly formal setting. It is less about chasing a single signature format and more about using the menu’s range well.

The kitchen has trust signals to justify a proper sit-down meal: executive chef Hoze is named in the leadership, Carlos is head chef of Inari Moraleja, Inari has a Macarfi 7 Food Rating for 2026. That does not make it a trophy booking; it makes it a reliable choice for modern Japanese cooking with enough polish to feel planned, but not so formal that it becomes an occasion-only restaurant.

What to order on a second visit

If the first visit was sushi-led, the smarter second visit is a broader izakaya table. Order across textures: gyozas, tempura, nigiri or tartare, one or two special maki. The wagyu beef bao is the richer counterpoint, useful when the table includes someone less focused on raw fish. The tasting menu works for diners who want a set way through the kitchen’s cooking, while a mixed sushi-and-izakaya order is useful for regulars who already know which lane they prefer.

The decision should be anchored in Japanese cooking rather than general crowd-pleasing. If someone in the group wants a different style of meal, broader Madrid dining options may be a cleaner fit. For this brief, Inari’s strength is its combination of modern Japanese izakaya dishes, sushi, a calm room and an upscale-casual tone.

Plan Madrid around the meal, not the other way round

This is an easy recommendation for a diner who wants a controlled, calm meal in Madrid rather than a high-drama counter experience. Lunch is available from 13:30 to 16:00 Monday through Saturday; dinner runs from 21:00 to 00:00 Monday through Thursday and until 00:30 on Friday and Saturday. The room’s tone means upscale-casual clothing is enough, but it rewards a little effort more than tourist-day comfort wear.